Never Gonna Be Alone
by VoiceOfTime
Summary: Left all alone, the Doctor doesn't know what to do without Rose. Can a similarly broken young girl help him heal? My reworking of Seasons 3 and 4 to allow for the Doctor to not be left standing alone in the end. Will be 10/Rose, 10.5/Rose, 10/OC, alt9/O
1. Please Don't Leave Me

Disclaimer: Please, I don't even want it. Not if they're going to give it to Moffat. *walks away with her head held high. then slinks back.* I lied. I want it. Please, please please! *breaks down sobbing*

"_Quite right too. And I suppose, if it's my last chance to say it. Rose Tyler-"_

And that was it. He was out of power and out of time. He stood there in shock as the tears poured down his cheeks. She was gone and he was alone. Forever had ended all too soon.

He ran his hand over his face to wipe away his tears and started to pull himself together, if only long enough to put the TARDIS in the vortex. Then he could take all the time he needed to grieve by himself.

Suddenly there was a sound and when he looked there was a young woman laying on the floor his ship. He started to move around the counsel to get a better look, when she sat up suddenly. She looked around and spotted him. She turned away.

"Oh no you don't you sonofabitch!" she screamed to no one as far as he could tell. "You bring me back! You bring me back right now!"

The Doctor was growing more and more confused as she stood up.

"Who are you? How did you get on my ship?" he asked but she just ignored him.

"I mean it. Bring me back now!" she continued to yell not seeming to notice him all. Suddenly a man appeared behind her. The Doctor almost fell in shock as he recognized his ninth self.

She didn't seem to notice him at all, she just kept yelling for him to take her back.

"Lily."

She went quiet as she heard her name. She turned to look at him and for the first time The Doctor saw the tears pouring down her face. She moved to touch him when he shook his head.

"I'm just a hologram. No touch." Nine told the young woman.

The Doctor cringed as his own words he had used not just 10 minutes earlier were used by this other version of himself.

"Please don't do this. Come through too. We can start over where they'll never find us. We'll be safe." She begged him.

"You know I can't." he told her sadly. "If I try to come through, the whole thing will collapse. No, you're going to have to go on without me this time." He held up a hand to stop her protests. "Please Lily, for once, do as I ask. I only have a few minutes before they find me."

"What am I supposed to do without you?" she asked weakly.

He smiled, "Do what you always do. Be fantastic."

She chuckled sadly. They stood in silence for a second before Nine turned his attention to The Doctor.

"I know I have no right to ask this and I know you don't know us, but I know that you're me, or at least a version. We're in a war and the Daleks are winning. I want her safe where they can't touch her. Another universe is really the only option. Please. Protect her. Keep her safe. Help her to heal." The Doctor could do nothing but nod. All through this, the girl, Lily, never took her eyes off her doctor. Seeing that The Doctor was consenting, Nine turned his attention back to her.

"Lily…" he began, but trailed off, not seeming to know what to say.

She moved so she was standing right in front of him and raised her hand so, if he had been there, it would be resting between his hearts. She looked up at him and saw tears that matched her own in his eyes.

"I love you. I always have and I always will. Stay safe, My Doctor." She told him, tears choking her voice.

"Make sure to live. That's all I can ask of you. My beautiful Lily." He told her, his eyes never leaving hers. "And never doubt for a second that I love you. Goodbye."

And he was gone. She stood still for a moment and then her world dissolved around her.

The Doctor moved quickly to catch her as she fainted. Seeing that she seemed to be unharmed, he silently asked the TARDIS to move a room close to the control room so he could lay her down. He made sure she would be comfortable, than left her to sleep. He slowly made his way down the corridors, thinking of what just happened, till he found himself in the corridor housing not only his room, but the one with the rose carving on the door. He thought briefly of entering, but quickly dismissed the notion. He once again asked the TARDIS to rearrange the rooms so Rose's room was hidden away where he could find it, but not where he would have to see it all the time. The pain was just too deep and too fresh. He realized that he would not have time enough to properly mourn her, not with his new arrival, and he didn't want the reminder. He watched as the door disappeared and slowly continued the short distance to his room. His need for little sleep meant he spent little time here, but it was dark and it was quiet. He moved to his bed and curled up in the pillows. Maybe, if he tried, just for a little bit, he could forget. And then maybe, for that little bit, it wouldn't hurt.

A/N: Ok you want to play dirty? You want to take Rose AND Donna away from the Doctor? Fine. But don't expect me to live with it. This is my reworking of Cannon to allow for Journey's End but to have The Doctor not be left all alone at the end of it all. This will be all of Seasons 3 and 4 with my character, Lily worked in. Feedback would be nice!


	2. Where Do We Begin?

Disclaimer: Oh please. Because if I owned Doctor Who I'd be writing fan fiction, when I could be putting my valuable time into convincing David Tennant to marry me. Please people.

Ch.2:

Six hours later he finally worked up the strength to leave his sanctuary. Plus he figured he should find out how his latest guest was doing. Her appearance answered his questions about the remaining cracks. Apparently, while Pete's World was closed off, the others were still open. He'd need to keep that in mind, but for now his mind turned to the young woman. There was something about her. Something that his counterpart obviously thought was important enough that he hid her in an alternate reality. But what could it be? He said they were involved in a war, maybe she was something that could be used against them. Or maybe it was just personal. He was still slightly shocked by what he had heard. A Time Lord admitting he loved a human? Was it just that the race of Time Lords in that reality had been more lax or was it just that his alternate self had been able to admit what he could never say?

He arrived at the room the TARDIS had given her, but when he opened the door, she wasn't there. He was slightly worried. He had promised his alternate self he'd look after her and six hours later he already didn't know where she was.

_Where is she, old girl? _he asked the TARDIS.

Suddenly a corridor opened next to him. He saw that it led to the kitchen and assumed that must be where she was.

_Thank you. _He told his ship silently.

He walked the corridor and stopped in door way. There she was. He took a moment to see what she really looked like. In the chaos of earlier he hadn't really taken the time to register what she looked like. Looking at her now he realized she really was quite beautiful. She was average height, with black hair so dark it looked blue in the light. She was thin, very thin he realized, like she hadn't eaten in a while. Her skin was pale and she sat hunched over a cup of tea.

"Any more of that?" he asked her as he came in and sat at the table.

She jumped when he started talking. She looked like she didn't really believe what she was seeing. When he saw her eyes, her realized they were the oddest shade of gray he had ever seen in a human. They looked like the gray of the storm with flecks of gold that almost gave the impression of lightening. Finally she slumped back down in the chair and looked up at the ceiling.

"I really hoped it was a dream." She told him. "That I'd come in here and he'd come strolling in, kiss me good morning, and launch into a dissertation on where we were going next." She laughed bitterly to herself. "I guess I should have realized the difference when I didn't get a response from the TARDIS when I tried to talk to her."

The Doctor stared. "You can hear the TARDIS?" he asked her, shocked.

She smiled, "Yeah, mine. She and I were connected. The Doctor said we were bonded." The smile fell away. "Oh well, gone now."

"But you're not a Time Lady. It shouldn't be possible for you to be bonded to a TARDIS." He told her, trying to figure out exactly what she was.

Slowly she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. The Doctor stared at in disbelief.

"I suppose you know what that is. I've never opened it which has a lot to do with the story I'm about to tell you. If you're anything like him, you'll take your promise to protect me seriously, so you should know exactly what you're protecting. I'd get comfortable. This is going to take awhile." With that she launched into her tale.

"My parents were Time Lords in good standing when the Time War broke out. They were on the front lines and they fought at Arcadia and The Blue Swarm and at the Crushing Maw and at the Mouth of the Nightmare Child. Eventually they realized that the Time Lords were not going to win, that the best we could hope for was a stalemate, but that in all probability we were going to lose. That's when they took me away. They came in the middle of the night and stole me away. They took me to Earth and found a family who child had died. They put me in the chameleon arch and made me human. I think they hoped I would live out my life and live to die in my bed. But any way, they left me there with the family and went back to fight. They died when Gallifrey burned. I grew up on Earth, happy, with no idea as to who I was. The only inkling I had was the amazingly, fantastic dreams I had of silver trees in forests of fire. The family they had left me with was kind and good and they gave me everything I needed and the best education I could hope for. I grew up loved and for that I'm thankful. But then my class took a trip to the British Isles. I'll never forget that moment. The moment we arrived in Cardiff, within moments our hotel was locked down and I was told the authorities would like to speak to me. I was understandably confused when I walked into the room and a man in a WWII style outfit greeted me like he had known me forever. He was the one to tell me who I really was. He was the one to tell me that my dreams were true. Apparently, when I entered Cardiff, every alien detector they had went nuts. The man told me that his name was Jack Harkness and that I would meet a younger version of him sometime in my future and that we would be great friends. I of course thought he was nuts. Many hours and lots of underage drinking later, I started to accept that maybe, _maybe_, some of this _might_ be true. Then he showed me the Hub. He told me that if I stayed, he'd set me up to meet, as he put it, the most important man I'd ever meet. The only thing was, I had to promise that I wouldn't tell this man, the man he called The Doctor, that he was there. He said that it would all work itself out, but that I had to follow this one rule. He knew I'd agree of course. He already knew me, which meant I must have kept my promise. That night, when I called my parents to make up some reason why I needed to stay in Wales, they just said that they this day might one day come and that I should try to keep in touch. That was it. They just let me go. I have never loved them more than I loved them in that moment. Jack set me up with a flat in London and a job in a store called Henriks. I stayed there for six months. In that time, I got to know a girl named Rose, Rose Tyler. And that was the first person I lost."

A/N: I'm gonna end there and continue Lily's back story next time. I know it's a lot but please just bare with me. As always, feedback would be appreciated!

Abbey


	3. So Different and Yet the Same

Disclaimer: By decree of the Shadow Proclamation, I now own Doctor Who and all its affiliates. This means you David Tennant and John Barrowman! Mwahhahhhahhhahhh *cough-cough-cough* I guess I need to work on my evil laugh. What do you mean I can't have it if I can't do an evil laugh?!?! Come back here!!!!

Ch.3:

Lily was so wrapped up in the telling of her story, she didn't see The Doctor stiffen at the mention of Rose, nor did she see the look of grief that passed over his face when she mentioned her loss. She just continued on with her story.

"When I first started at the shop, Rose was the first person to be nice to me. Everyone else was much older or much younger, so as the only two 19 year olds, we struck up a quick friendship. Next thing I knew I was hanging out down at the pub with her and Ricky and having dinner with her and her mother. Jack had set me up in the same building, knowing I would meet Rose. Because I was living on my own, or so it seemed, Jackie took me in, made sure I was fed, clothed, stuff like that. My cover was that I had come to London to get work as a singer, and I was just working in the shop till I found a steady gig. It meant I could disappear to Cardiff as needed under the guise of looking for gigs and it also meant that I actually got to do gigs. Singing is one of the things I love most, so I was happy. Rose, Ricky, and Jackie, were my most loyal fans. Every gig, they were in the audience. But then it all went bad. One night, as we were leaving the store, the guard asked me to take the lotto money down to Wilson. Rose offered to wait for me upstairs. When I went down, I was attacked by store front dummies. And that's when I met him. My Doctor. He took my hand and he told me to run. He got me out of the store. But he didn't know Rose was still inside. Before I could get to her, the store blew. She never had a chance. My first true friend in England and she was gone in an instant. She would be the first in a long line of those I couldn't save." Lily paused here to drink and to collect herself.

In the mean time, The Doctor's mind was in overdrive. What would have happened to him if, that night oh so long ago, he hadn't been able to get Rose out? What if he hadn't been able to save her and she, in return, hadn't been able to save him? Would he have found someone else? He immediately knew the answer was no. Rose was the only one who could have saved him. But, then again, Lily had obviously saved her Doctor. He didn't know. All he knew was he definitely didn't like the idea of a world where Rose was really dead.

Lily continued where she left off.

"I went back to the Estate that night and comforted Jackie. The next day he showed up again, tracking the dummies arm I had taken the night before. I confronted him. I told him I knew what he was. Then I told him what I was. To say he was shocked is an understatement. I don't think he talked for 15 solid minutes, just sat there in stunned silence. I showed him the watch. He didn't understand why I didn't just open it, why I didn't claim my birth right, but he respected my wishes. Of course right after that was when the arm decided to attack. Then we were off. We tracked the Nestene and stopped it. Then he offered to take me with him. I didn't even think about it. My only stipulation was that I wanted to be at Rose's funeral. He agreed, so I packed and called Jack to let him know, and I never looked back. We went so many places. Past, present, future, you name it, we went there. We saved Earth and other planets. We stopped World War Three and saved the future Prime Minister, Harry Jones. We met Jack in World War Two and brought him along. But then came the game station. We were sucked into their twisted games and forced to play for our lives. And then came the real shock. The Daleks. I was transported to their ships and The Doctor came and rescued me. That was when he tricked me into going home. Also the first time he told me he loved me."

She stopped here, unable to go on. The Doctor got up and got her some water and waited for her to calm down.

"Thank you. Any way. He sent me home in the TARDIS, but both she and I were having none of that. That's when I realized. Everywhere we went two words seemed to follow us: Dark Phoenix. I realized they were a connection, a link between me and the Doctor. I managed to get into the heart and I took the Vortex into myself. I went back. When I arrived, The Doctor had given up. He wasn't willing to be the one who destroyed the Human Race. He was horrified by what I'd done. He was absolutely sure it was going to kill me. But it didn't. It changed me, right down to the molecular level. I managed to destroy most of the Daleks and bring Jack back to life, but some of them got away. By the end of it, I was too tired to move so The Doctor picked me up and took me home. Three days later, as we sat in the Vortex, I was finally able to get up. That's when we figured out what had happened to me. I was now directly connected to the Vortex, my body changed in such a way that I was able to directly channel it's power. This meant we had a weapon against the Daleks, but it also meant I dare not open the watch. We had no way of knowing what would happen if we suddenly introduced Time Lord physiology into the mix. Now that we knew I was in no immediate danger, we went back to our life, with one change. Instead of occupying two rooms, we now only used one. And for a while we were happy. We met new people. For awhile we had a lovely young doctor by the name of Martha Jones traveling with us, and then a temp from Cheswick named Donna Noble, who became my best friend. We spent time with Jack and his Torchwood team and I was a bride's maid in Gwen and Jack's wedding, while The Doctor was best man. We were happy. Then the war started. One day, no matter where we went, the Daleks were there. They attacked Earth in the 21th century, killing Gwen and Owen in the first wave. Martha was killed trying to help a little girl who had been trampled. Eventually the last safe place was the TARDIS, and they could track that. Eventually it was just The Doctor, me, Donna, and Jack. Tosh and Ianto were dead, as was the rest of Torchwood and Unit. Nothing was left on Earth really, except ruins. Then Jack was captured and left on the edge of a black hole. Always alive and always dying. Donna died later that same week. She died in my arms. Then we got word that the Daleks wanted me because they thought they could use the power of the Vortex. That's when the Doctor decided he needed to get me out. So he sent me here."

She stopped. Tears were pouring down her cheeks, but she didn't seem to notice. "On our last night together, he told me he was sorry. But you know what? For a brief, shining moment, I was Lily Carter, Dark Phoenix, Companion to The Doctor, and I was happy. I wouldn't have changed it for a second."

As she finished her tale, she seemed to visibly relax, like it was a weight she had been carrying for too long. He just sat there in silence, when suddenly she asked a question.

"I'm assuming, since you didn't recognize me, that I wasn't your companion here, which implies I don't exist. Either I died in burning of Gallifrey, or I never existed to begin with. But either way, you must have had a companion. Also, unless things are totally different, you've regenerated at least once more than my Doctor. So how far was my version of things from yours?"

He paused a minute before answering. "Not actually that different. You're right, you're not my companion, someone else was. We traveled together for a year before the fiasco at the game station. That's where things seem to deviate massively. I sent her home and she came back, just like you, except her name in this reality was Bad Wolf. Also she destroyed the entire Dalek fleet. But she was fully human and the Vortex was killing her. I was forced to take it out of her which caused me to regenerate. After that is when things get really different. We traveled together for a year after my regeneration. During that time we wound up in an alternate reality where there were Cybermen. We thought we had defeated them. Another companion even chose to stay behind to make sure the problem was taken care of. But a few month later they punched their way through the void into our world. That was bad enough, but they also brought Daleks that had been hiding in the void since the Time War with them. Eventually I managed to suck them back into the void and close off the two realities, but my companion was caught on the other side. She's gone now. I was saying goodbye right before you appeared. I ran out of time." He looked down at the table, trying desperately to regain control.

"What was her name?" Lily asked him softly.

He looked at her long and hard, trying to judge if she was strong enough to hear this. Eventually he opened his mouth.

"Rose. Rose Tyler."

A/N: Ok so I was going to stop with Ch.2 but then I just seemed to keep writing. You will be happy to know that I am pretty much done with back story. A few more chapters of just them before The Christmas Bride though. I want them to be believable as friends before I launch into cannon. Tell me what you think so far!

Abbey


	4. Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: Ok so I'm willing to give up the rights to the TARDIS but I want Tennant. What do you mean you're not authorized to give him to me? Well go find me someone who is. Amateurs.

Ch.4:

They sat in silence for awhile after he told her.

"Rose." She repeated.

He nodded and they fell back into silence. She just couldn't believe it. There was a world where she hadn't gotten her best friend killed. And instead of dying, she got to travel with the Doctor.

"I'm glad." She told him softly. When he gave her a stunned look, she elaborated. "She got to live. Not only that but she went on the most fantastic journeys anyone can hope to go on." She gave him a sly look. "Also, if you're anything like my Doctor, she got to be loved by one of the most amazing men in the universe." She smiled softly when he refused to look at her. She reached over and put her hand over his. "Even if you didn't tell her, I'm sure she knew. And I'm sure she felt the same."

"She did." He whispered. "She told me. But I ran out of time. Now she'll never know." A single tear escaped. He angrily wiped it away. "Oh well. I'm fine."

She squeezed his hand then removed hers. "No you're not." She laughed. "What a pair we make."

He chuckled. He jumped up and held out his hand. "I promised your Doctor I'd help you heal, so that's what I'm going to do. Where do you want to go?"

She laughed softly at his antics. "Actually, can we spend a couple more days in the Vortex? My body's still adjusting to this universe's. Plus I'd like to get more comfortable with this TARDIS." He nodded and began to lower his hand, when she reached out and grabbed it. "Come on skinny boy. You can show me around." She stood and he led her out of the kitchen.

*************************************************************************************

Three hours later they were in the control room. He had shown her all the rooms he thought she would like to know about. All the while they traded stories of places they had been and things they had done. Some were the same and some were different. They also just got to know each other better. She was amazed by how different and yet the similar he was to her Doctor. She knew how regeneration worked from the memories she saw when she was asleep, so she knew that, even in the same man, massive differences were to be expected. But the man before her, he still had a lot of the same traits her Doctor had. A universe over and he was still essentially the same, good, mysterious man. It comforted her as much as it hurt it. On one hand it meant that things weren't quite as different as she was afraid they might, but on the other hand, it hurt her to look in his eyes and forget that he wasn't her Doctor, only to be painfully brought back to reality.

As they entered the control room, they seem to run out of things to say. They stood there awkwardly for a few minutes when finally Lily broke the silence.

"I'm gonna go back to my room for now. Get in a nap." She told him, motioning to the doorway.

"Right. I'm gonna…" he trailed off, pointing in the direction of the counsel.

"Right." She said she stood there for a few seconds then walk to the door. Once she reached it, she paused and turned back to him.

"Thank you." She told him.

He gave her a puzzled look. "What for?"

She just smiled and turned and left. He stood, looking after her and then shook his head. He reached down and pulled up a piece of grating, took off his jacket and began working.

*************************************************************************************

The next few days they fell into an easy routine. The Doctor spent most of his day working on the TARDIS, repairing what needed fixing and doing general housekeeping, while Lily found things to occupy her time. On her second day in the TARDIS she found a music room, and from then on she could usually be found there. The first time the Doctor had gone looking for her and found her in there, singing, he had just stood outside listening. She was singing a song he knew was meant for her Doctor. It was a song of the pain of losing someone you had desperately tried to hold on to, and the knowledge that the time had come to let them go, no matter how painful it might be. In short it was a perfect description of feelings at the moment. When she finished, he opened the door.

"Dinner's ready, if you want it." He told her.

She jumped, not hearing him come in. She turned and nodded, so he waited while she closed up the piano. She stood, pausing to run her hand over the instrument one last time, and followed him.

As they were walking, he told her "You have a very beautiful voice."

"Thank you." She replied with a soft smile. "Singing is one of my favorite pastimes. It allows me to say the things I don't really know how to articulate. It's also one of the few things I have left of my old life. My voice and my songs."

They walked the rest of the distance in silence. They had quickly realized that they were more comfortable in silence than in the attempt of making conversation. But they also seemed to be more comfortable if they were together than alone. Alone the grief became too much, together at least they knew they weren't alone.

"Would you mind if I came and listened sometimes?" he asked suddenly.

She was startled. "Ummm…"

"If you do, that's fine. I just enjoyed listening to you today from outside. But if it both-"

"No." she cut him off. "I don't mind at all. You just surprised me." She smiled, "An audience doesn't bother me. You're of course welcome anytime."

With that they went back to eating and to their own thoughts.

From then on, at least once a day the Doctor would come and listen for a few hours. She sang and she played, and he listened, even making requests every once in a while. One day a large collection of sheet music and music books appeared in a book case in the room.

"Where did all that come from?" he asked as he walked in one day.

Lily looked where he was pointing and laughed. "I asked the TARDIS if she had any music on board and she said yes. When I asked if I could see it, that appeared. Are you aware that you have an original Bach cantata in there?"

"Yeah, he wrote it for me." He told her, distracted by the beginning of her statement. "You can hear the TARDIS?" he asked.

"Yeah. My bond to the Vortex gives me a bond to her." She looked up worried. "That's alright, right?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Yeah, it just took me by surprise." He smiled. "Now she can bug you instead of me!" They both laughed and went on with their business.

A week after Lily arrived, the Doctor announced that they needed to return to real space so he could complete some repair. He dropped out of the Vortex and was getting ready to start, when he looked up and saw a red headed woman standing with her back to him.

"What?"

She turned around and saw him.

"Ah!"

"What?"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Bu-"

"Where am I?"

"What?!"

"What the hell is this place?"

"What?!?!"

A/N: Well there you have it folks. Donna is in the house. Into season 3 we go. As always, Feedback is appreciated!

Abbey


	5. The Runaway Bride: What!

Disclaimer: So, Lily, how is our subtle plan to seduce the Doctor to our side and leave those fools at the BBC coming along? What do you mean they've offered you a contract?! No, I will not sign you over to them! Get back here young lady!

Ch.5:

Everything was set. The flowers were perfect, the band was all set, everyone was dressed in their very best, she looked fantastic, and, best of all, just a short aisle away, the most perfect man in the world stood waiting for her. In short, Donna Noble's life was just about as perfect as it could possibly get. She heard the organ begin it's famous call and the butterflies in her stomach tripled. As she began her march down the aisle to her perfect future, they grew even more. In fact they were getting kind of painful. Suddenly they became ten times more painful, a hundred times more painful. She could only scream as everything suddenly went dark. The next thing she knew, she was in an odd, dome shaped room. She turned as she heard someone behind her. There stood a very skinny man in a pinstriped suit behind the oddest contraption she had ever seen.

"Who are you?" she asked. He sputtered, but she cut him off. "Where am I?"

"What?" He seemed incapable of saying anything else.

"What the hell is this place?" she asked, her voice rising.

"What?"

_The man's an idiot _she thought to herself. He just stared at her in shock.

"You can't do that, I wasn't even- But we're in flight! That is, That is physically impossible. How did yo-"

She cut him off again, "Tell me where I am!" she told him, her voice starting to rise to new heights. "I demand you tell me right now: where am I?"

"You're inside the TARDIS." He told her, looking more and more confused.

"The what?"

"The _TARDIS_." He repeated moving to check the counsel.

"The _what_?"

"It's called the TARDIS." He told her.

"That's not even a proper word!" she countered. "You're just saying things!"

"How did you get in here?" he demanded.

"Well obviously when you kidnapped me! Who was it that put you up to this, huh? Was it Nyeris? Is this her? She finally getting me back?"

"Who the hell is Nyeris?" he asked her, completely mystified by what she was saying.

"You're best friend." She told him with a sneer.

"Hold on, wait a minute. Why are you dressed like that?" he asked, suddenly realizing she was wearing a full length white gown and a veil.

"I'm going ten pin bowling. What do you think, dumbo?!" she yelled at him. "I'm getting married! I was half way up the aisle!" she started to rant while he messed with the counsel. "I'm gonna have the police on you! Me and my husband, as soon as he is my husband, are going to sue the pants off you!"

Suddenly she saw the doors. _Yes! _ She ran to them while he yelled for her to wait. She flung them open to be greeted by a nebula. She just stood there in shock. He calmly walked up and stood behind her. He silently asked the TARDIS to get Lily up to the control room. Out loud he told her "You're in space. Outer space. This is my…space ship. It's called The TARDIS."

"How am I breathing?" she asked, that being the only question that would come to mind at the moment.

"The TARDIS is protecting us."

Finally regaining some of her brain power, her next question was "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Donna."

"Human?" he guessed.

"Yeah. Is that optional?"

"Well, it is for me." He told her turning back to the open doors.

"You're an alien." It wasn't a question.

He answered any way. "Yeah."

They stood in silence.

With nothing else to say, Donna said the first thing that popped into her head.

"It's freezing with these doors open."

The Doctor gave her a look and quickly closed them. He then ran back to the counsel.

"I don't understand this, and I understand everything. This, this can't be happening. There is no way a human being can lock it's self on and beam it's self into the TARDIS." He grabbed a device that resembled one of those things doctors use to look at your eyes and started looking at her while rambling on so fast that she had no hope of understanding. Finally when she couldn't take it any longer, she did the only thing she could think of. She slapped him.

He recoiled in shock. "What was that for?"

"GET ME TO THE CHURCH!" she screamed at him.

"Right. Fine." He dropped the device he was holding and moved around the counsel. "I don't want you here anyway. Where is this church?"

"Saint Mary's" she told him, "Paytor Road, Cheswick, London, England, Earth, The Solar System."

That was when she spotted the jacket. She ran over and grabbed it off the railing.

"I knew it." She told him, shoving it in his face. "Acting all innocent. I'm not the first. How many women have you abducted?"

The Doctor was confused for a moment, till he spotted the jacket. His face hardened. He and Lily had quickly come to an unspoken agreement. She didn't mention the jacket that still lay where Rose had thrown it before she left that last day, and he didn't mention a certain leather jacket that seemed to go missing from his wardrobe two days after she had arrived. Seeing this loud, obnoxious woman, holding something of the love he had loss broke something inside of him.

"That's my friend's." he told her, keeping his emotions closely in check.

"Well where is she? Popped out for a spacewalk?" she asked him snidely.

"She's gone."

"Gone _where_?" Donna demanded.

He looked at the jacket, then he looked down. "I lost her."

Before Donna could continue, the sound of breaking china distracted both of them.

The Doctor turned to see Lily standing in the doorway, growing paler by the second. She couldn't take her eyes off of the new comer.

"Donna?" she whispered.

They all just stood there. The Doctor, unable to think of anything else, went back to his faithful standby question.

"What?!"

A/N: Sorry it's kinda short, but I want to see Lily part in all this separate from everything else. Since I'm just starting this, it's coming out pretty fast. I'm going to warn you though, as it gets further in, updates probably will get slower. Now, see that pretty button, right below this? The one that says review? On three you're going to click it. Now, all together: One, Two, Three ,CLICK! Good boys and girls!

Abbey


	6. The Runaway Bride: Saying Goodbye

Disclaimer: I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, doodlely do. There they are all sitting in a row, bump bump bump. I'll keep singing till they give me my Doctor. Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head…

A/N: I know I put these at the end, but I want to warn everyone that there is, what I consider, a kinda violent death in this chapter. If this bothers you, you might want to skip this chapter.

Ch.6:

Lily was in the kitchen, taking a break from her practice. While making herself a cup of tea, she jumped when the TARDIS started yelling in her head that the Doctor wanted her in the control room.

"Calm down, girl." she told the ship. She had noticed that the Doctor always talked to his ship in his mind, but she liked to talk to her like she was in the room. Granted she was the room, but still.

"Is he alright?" she asked the panicking ship.

_Depends on how you classify 'alright'_. The TARDIS replied. Even in a crisis, the ship had a wicked sense of humor.

Lily laughed. "Will he die in the time it takes me to finish making this cup?"

_Probably not._

Lily finished what she was doing and started to the control room.

"So what did he do this time? Cross two wires and set himself on fire again?" she asked with a smile.

_Well he just got slapped, if that counts._

Lily stopped. "Slapped?! By who?"

_A red head that just appeared. He's of course blaming me for it..._

The TARDIS kept going, but Lily had stopped listening and sped up. A red head? It couldn't be. That would just be too strange.

Lily reached the control room and stopped in the doorway, the cup slipping from her hands and crashing to the floor.

"Donna?" she whispered.

She vaguely heard the Doctor ask his favorite question before she fell to her knees. Before she could stop it, memories started to overwhelm her mind. Soon she was trapped, reliving one of the worst moments in her life. But then she realized what was worse than that.

She was losing control.

*************************************************************************************

The Doctor was confused. How could this really annoying woman be the same woman who had become Lily's best friend and his counterpart's companion in the other universe? But when he saw Lily fall to the ground, he knew something was wrong.

He quickly moved so he was kneeling in front of her. Her eyes were open, but he could tell that what she was seeing was not in the real world, but in her mind.

Donna, on the other hand, had decided to start up again.

"See I was right. Where did you pick her up? Disney World? Probably been doing all kinds of freaky alien things to her. She definitely looks like she's on-"

"Donna, shut up!" The Doctor told her, turning to glare at her.

Donna, finally realizing something was really wrong, stared at him, but, thankfully, stopped talking.

The Doctor turned his attention back to Lily.

"Lily can you hear me?"

When he got no response, he tried shaking her gently, but she didn't show any signs of noticing. Not knowing what it might do to her, he was afraid to move her. With no other option left to him, he put his hands on either side of her head and entered her mind.

He found himself in a chaotic flood of Lily's memories. It was easy to distinguish between those that came from before she met the Doctor and which ones came after. The ones from before seemed almost fake compared to the vibrant memories of her times with the man she loved. But as the memories went on, they became darker. He saw more deaths than a woman her age should've ever had to endure. Finally he found the one she was trapped in and entered it.

He found himself in a room, obviously of Dalek design. In the middle lay Donna, strapped to a steel slab. The woman had been tortured, that much was clear. She had hundreds of cuts all over her body, not to mention the multitude of bruises. Some of the cuts were half way healed, while others were very fresh. She had obviously been here for a while.

The door opened and Lily ran in. She looked around and spotted the older woman, ran to her and started to undo the straps holding her the moment she was close enough.

"Lily." He heard Donna say weakly.

Lily stopped what she was doing to grab her friend's hand.

"Hey girl." she whispered. "How you doing?"

Donna chuckled weakly, which quickly turned into a cough. When she finally stopped, she smiled thinly.

"I've been better."

Lily laughed softly. "Well, don't you worry. We're gonna get you out of here and the Doctor's going to fix you right up." She told the red head, forcing cheerfulness into her voice.

Donna smiled at her. "Liar." She told her, humor evident through the pain.

Lily squeezed Donna's hand. "Shut it you." With one last squeeze she went back to freeing her from the table.

When the last one was finally undone, Lily helped Donna to stand and they started for the door. They made it halfway when Donna fell. Not expecting the sudden loss of balance, Lily fell with her. Groaning, she moved to push herself up, only to slip again. She looked down and saw that the ground around her was quickly becoming stained red with blood. Donna's blood. Lily struggled to turn her friend over. She couldn't see where it was coming from, it just seemed like it was coming from everywhere. Then she realized that's exactly where it was coming from, everywhere. Her best friend was bleeding out from every one of the cuts on her damaged body. Not knowing what else to do, Lily pulled Donna into her arms and held her, not seeming to even notice that her friend's blood was soaking her.

"Lily…"

"Shh." She hushed Donna, paying no heed to the tears pouring down her cheeks. "You're gonna be fine. You'll see." She couldn't go on through her tears. She just held her as her life left her in rivers of red.

"Lily…I'm sorry."

Lily sobbed. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, luv."

Donna smiled. "Neither do you. I…will…not let you…blame…"

"Donna!" Lily cried as her eyes fluttered. "Stay with me. Stay with me, Donna!" She could tell her best friend was slipping away.

"Tell…Doctor…he better…keep you…safe…Couldn't have…asked…for a…better…best friend…Love..yo…"

And she was gone.

Lily pulled her to her chest and sobbed. Slowly, after awhile, the sobs subsided, and something took their place. The air, which had been still, was now electrified.

Lily lifted her head and opened her eyes. What he saw terrified the Doctor.

Lily's strange gray eyes were now brilliant gold.

Then she faded away. The Doctor realized that the memory was starting over.

_She must be stuck _he realized. Pulling out a little he also saw that her control over her powers was slipping. Too much of her focus was on suppressing the memory again that she was losing control. It wasn't perfect, but the only option at the moment was to suppress the memory and let her focus on her control. He envisioned a door and started to push the memory behind it. One day, soon, she would have to deal with it, but this wasn't the moment. As he pushed he felt her control reassert itself. They were out of danger for now. With one last push, the memory was locked away. He pulled out and started to drop his hands when he felt her keeping them in place. She looked into his eyes and he heard her in his head.

_Thank you _she told him, gratitude ringing with every word.

_I know I should have asked, but there was no time _he replied.

He felt her smile, _If you had waited, we would probably be dead._

_Still. _He looked away.

She took one hand away from his and made him look at her. _If you ever think I'm going to lose control, you have permission to enter my mind. No matter what. I trust you._

And she did. He could feel her trust in him. He smiled and nodded.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

Until this moment, they had forgotten about Donna. Now they turned to look at her, then turned back to each other.

_So what do we do with her?_ They asked at the same time.

A/N: So that's how Donna died in Lily's Universe. Feedback please.

Abbey


	7. The Runaway Bride: That Was Fun

Disclaimer:  
I have asked for but I have not received  
that for which my heart will always bleed.  
For though you still reside within my mind,  
I wish for you, Doctor, to be only mine.

Ch.7:

Eventually, the two decided to just drop Donna off at her wedding, try to figure out what had happened, and then go on their merry way. Of course, with the Doctor driving, nothing ever goes according to plan.

Back on Earth, the whole wedding was in a tizzy. A wedding without a bride was kind of pointless. Especially when the bride had disappeared in such a dramatic way. Everyone was on a phone, calling everyone from the police to pound. Where had she gone?

Little did they know, the bride's designated driver had sorta, kinda, you know, failed his test?

"Doctor, I think this is some of the worst driving you've ever done!" Lily yelled as they were thrown around.

"It's not me!" he yelled back.

"You always say that! I think she's starting to take offence."

"What do you want from me?!"

"I want you to drive without making me throw up!"

"Well, talk to her!"

"WILL YOU TWO STOP TALKING LIKE THE SHIP'S ALIVE!" Donna screamed at them from where she was holding on for dear life.

They both turned and stared at her.

"But, but, but she is!" The Doctor sputtered. He looked like a kid who was just told Santa isn't real.

"It's a ship!" she told him, as if speaking to a simpleton.

"Excuse me, but TARDISs are sentient. They're grown, not made." He told her with an air of superiority.

Right as he said this they touched down and were thrown across the room. Faster than anyone would have thought possible in a floor length gown, Donna was up and through the doors. As she looked around, she realized they were nowhere near a church.

The Doctor and Lily walked out right then and she rounded on them.

"I said St. Mary's!" she told him. "What sort of Martian are you?"

The Doctor was completely ignoring her, too busy trying to coax an answer out of the TARDIS as to the bad flight.

"It's like something's wrong with her." He said to no one. Lily was standing next to him, watching him stroke the TARDIS, desperately trying not to laugh.

"It's almost like she's…RECALIBRATING!"

He ran back in and straight up to the counsel. "She's digesting!" he called out to Lily. Lily, though wasn't paying attention. She was much too busy watching Donna's reaction to the outside of the TARDIS.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor was still trying to find out what was going on.

"Donna? Can you think of anything that might have caused this? Anything you might have done? Some kind of alien contact? I can't have you wandering off, you're too dangerous."

Lily was still watching Donna, who, she could tell, was not listening to the Doctor ramble on at all.

"Who's this man you're marrying?" he continued. "Are you sure he's human? Hasn't got a zipper on his forehead, does he?" turning and not seeing her, he walked to the door where Lily was standing.

"Where is she?" he asked. Lily, not even bothering to hide her amusement, pointed to Donna's retreating back. He glared at her, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Lily just smirked. "This was more fun."

He groaned and ran after Donna. Lily followed at a slower pace. "I would have said something eventually!"

"Donna…" he said as he caught up.

"Leave me alone. I just want to get married."

"Donna, just come back to the TARDIS." He told her.

She shook her head. "No way. That box is too…weird."

Lily lost control of her laughter for a second here, but got it back when the Doctor turned and glared at her.

He turned back. "It's bigger on the inside, that's all." He told her, as if this explained everything.

She stared at him. "Oh! That's all?" She looked at her watch and groaned. "Ten past three! I'm gonna miss it!"

"Can't you phone them? Tell them where you are?"

"How do I do that?"

"Haven't you got a mobile?"

Lily lost control again at that. When he turned and glared at her again, she pointed out the obvious.

"Doctor, it's a wedding dress."

He turned and looked at Donna then back at Lily. "So?"

"I don't have pockets!" Donna told him. "Have you ever seen a bride with pockets?" Her voice was rising with every sentence. Lily was basically in hysterics at this point, while the Doctor seemed to be looking for the quickest way to get away. "You know what the one thing I forgot at my fitting at Chez Allison? You know what I forgot to say? I forgot to say GIVE ME POCKETS!"

"This man you're marrying, what's his name?" The Doctor asked.

Suddenly, Donna was all sweetness. "Lance."

"Good luck, Lance." At this Lily gave up all pretense of not laughing.

"Oi! No stupid Martian is going to stop me from getting married." She yelled at him, walking away again. "The hell with you!"

The Doctor just stood there. "I'm, I'm not, I'm not from Mars." He called after her.

Lily patted his arm as she walked past him. "Might as well give up now. She's never going to care."

He shook his head and followed.

*************************************************************************************

They found a busy street and were trying to hail a cab, but none would stop. Lily stood back and watched as the two of them, a red head in a wedding gown and a man in a pinstripe suit, tried to hail taxi after taxi.

"Why aren't they stopping?" The Doctor asked.

"They think I'm in fancy dress." Donna told him. Another driver drove by and told her to lay off the sauce, "They think I'm drunk!", while a car drove by and the driver told her she wasn't fooling anyone, "They think I'm in drag!" For a second, Lily thought Donna might deck him when he gave her a once over. Finally she moved up.

"Move over," she told them, "and leave this to the professionals." With that, she put her fingers to her lips and blew. Three taxis immediately stopped and they got in the closest one.

"You couldn't have done that sooner?" The Doctor asked her as she got in.

"Guess what I'm about to say."

"That was more fun?"

She grinned. "Yep!"

He just sighed. Donna, in the mean time, gave the address to the driver and told him to hurry. When he informed them it would be cost them double, it being Christmas and all, Donna turned to the Doctor.

"Oh my god. Have you got any money?" she asked.

"Ummm, no. Haven't you?"

Both Donna and Lily turned and yelled "POCKETS!".

After being kicked out, they took the next best option. The Doctor led Donna to a pay phone and set her up to call, while he went in search of a cash machine. The only one was already being used, so he and Lily were forced to wait.

"I could distract him." She said as the man took his time.

The Doctor looked down at the sweatshirt and jeans she was wearing and gave her a look.

She glared at him. "Shut up."

Finally, the man left and the Doctor got some money using the sonic screwdriver.

"You know that's stealing, right?" she asked as they walked away.

"What are you going to do? Turn me in?" he mimicked her. "Oh officer! My Time Lord friend here just stole money from the cash machine using his amazing sonic screwdriver!" He snorted. "Yeah, that's going to work."

She slapped his arm, which he proceeded to grab and make a big deal of.

Unknown to them, Donna had been asking to borrow money from every person she saw. As they walked towards her, someone finally took pity. Grabbing a cab, she yelled back at them "THANKS FOR NOTHING!"

It was then the Doctor noticed the brass band that had been playing. He looked at them and back at Donna.

"What is it?" Lily asked, seeing his look.

"The band…"

That was when he saw the driver. It was one of the band.

"DONNA!"

A/N: Ok I know it seems like Lily isn't at all affected by what happened, but I promise she is and it will be dealt with soon. Now I would like to take this moment to thank the people who have reviewed and encourage all of you to follow their bright, shining example. For the slow out there: REVIEW! Please and thank you! *Goes skipping off and then falls on her face.* Ouch.

Abbey


	8. The Runaway Bride: The Chase is On!

Disclaimer: I love my Doctor, oh yes I do. I love my Doctor, through and through. And if he leaves me, I'm blue! Oh Doctor, I love you! What do you mean that wasn't good enough? That took me five whole seconds!

Ch.8:

"Doctor, what's going on?" Lily asked.

"I've seen those Santa's before." He told her, looking for an escape. "Last Christmas, when I regenerated."

"Wait I remember this story." She said, backing away. "Pilot Fish, right? To the Sicorax's shark?"

"Yeah."

"This isn't the same Christmas, right?" He just stared at her.

"Just how bad of a driver do you think I am?"

The band started towards them when the Doctor spotted the cash machine. Pointing his screwdriver at it, he caused it to start spewing cash. This being the charitable and good minded world that it is, people of course started attacking anything in their way, trying to get to the money. The Doctor and Lily slipped away in the confusion.

In the Taxi, Donna was assuring the driver he'd get the rest of the money when they arrived when she realized he had missed the turn.

"Excuse me, I said Cheswick. We should have turned right there." The driver just ignored her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled as he got on the freeway. "I'm late!"

He just kept driving.

"For my wedding! My own wedding, do you get that?! Oi! Are you deaf or what?"

She reached up and grabbed his hood, knocking his mask off in the process. She could do nothing but stare in shock at the robot that lay beneath. So she did what came naturally. She started screaming.

"HELP ME! HELP ME! I'M BEING DRIVEN BY A ROBOT!"

*************************************************************************************

Back on the TARDIS, Lily and the Doctor were desperately trying to keep her together as they flew. Sparks were flying everywhere and it seemed like the TARDIS was trying to shake herself apart.

"Behave!" The Doctor yelled, hitting the counsel.

"You know she doesn't like it when you do that!" Lily called.

"Yeah well she can complain later. Right now she can do as I say."

They flew, following the tracking on Donna, only hitting a few cars on the way. The Doctor told Lily what to do then ran to the doors and flung them open.

"Open the door!" he screamed to her.

"Do what?" she screamed back.

"Open the DOOR!"

She tried the handle.

"I can't! It's locked!"

The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at it and the window opened.

"Santa's a robot." She told him.

"Donna, open the door!" he yelled at her again.

"What for?"

"You're going to have to jump!"

"I'm a bleeding bit jumpy, I'm supposed to be getting married!"

RoboSanta, just noticing what was going on, sped the car up.

The Doctor looked back at Lily and screamed "NOW!".

Lily pulled the lever and they sped up so they were level with the car again. The counsel gave up the ghost then and just blew up.

As they pulled level the Doctor almost fell. As he regained his balance, he used the sonic screwdriver again and disabled RoboSanta.

"You've got to jump!"

"I'm not jumping on a motor way!"

He gave an exasperated sigh, "Look what ever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it's not good. Now come on!"

"I'm in my wedding dress!"

"Yes, you look lovely. Come on!"

Moaning, Donna opened the door.

Looking down at the road flying by and back up at the Doctor, she shook her head.

"I can't do it!"

"Trust me." He told her, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Is that what you said to her?" she asked. "You're friend, the one you lost. Did she trust you?"

The Doctor's face hardened. "Yes she did. And she is not dead, she is so alive. Now JUMP!"

Donna waited a second longer and then did as he asked. As she landed on him, the doors slammed shut.

"And away we go!" Lily called as she pressed the buttons necessary to take them away from there.

*************************************************************************************

Donna looked down at her watch. From behind her, she could hear Lily and the Doctor trying to put out fires.

"Will you shut it, you?" the Doctor yelled.

Lily ran out before he could hit her with a spray from the fire extinguisher.

"Well you did say she could complain later!"

"Yeah but I didn't mean it!"

They closed the doors and walked over to Donna.

"Funny thing is," The Doctor said, "for a space ship, she doesn't actually do all that much flying. We better give her a little bit."

_Damn straight, you better give me a little bit. Better yet why don't I give you…_The Doctor tuned the rest of what the TARDIS said out.

Donna sighed.

"You alright?" Lily asked.

"Doesn't matter." She replied.

"Did we miss it?" The Doctor asked from her other side.

"Yeah."

"You can book another date." Lily told her.

"'Course we can."

"And you've still got the honeymoon." The Doctor interjected.

"Just a holiday now." She replied.

He looked away. "Yeah. Yeah. Sorry." He told her.

She shrugged. "It's not your fault." She told him.

"Oh! Well that's a change!"

Lily and Donna both chuckled at him.

Donna sighed again.

"Wish you had a time machine." When he gave her a look, she elaborated. "Then we could go back and get it right."

The Doctor looked uncomfortable as he agreed. "Yeah. But even if I did, I couldn't go back in someone's personal time line." He told her. "Aparently."

Lily saw the wistfulness in his face and knew what he was thinking he'd like to change.

Donna moved to sit on the edge of the roof. After a moment, they followed and sat on either side of her. Before he sat though, the Doctor took off his jacket and put it around Donna. When she tried to pull it closed, she looked at him.

"God you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat."

The Doctor ignored Lily's laughter.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, pulling a ring out of his pocket. "You better put this on."

"Do you really have to rub it in, Doctor?" Lily asked him, with a look that said 'God you're an idiot', which he, again, ignored.

"It's a bio-damper." He continued, as if Lily had said nothing. "Those creatures seem to be able to trace you, so this will keep you hidden." Reaching over he lifted her hand. "With this ring, I, thee, bio-damp."

He told her, popping the p.

"For better or for worse" Donna replied.

They sat in silence for second, then Lily let out a big "AW!" and burst into fake sobs. The Doctor responded by hitting her upside the head. She pouted and rubbed the spot he hit, while Donna chuckled at their antics. Lily smiled when she saw she had accomplished her goal of getting the woman to smile.

"So come on, then." Donna said, still smiling. "Robot Santa's. What are they for?" she asked.

"Oh, your basic Robo-scavangers. The Father Christmas stuff's just a disguise. Trying to blend in."

He told her. "I met them last Christmas."

She looked at him. "Why? What happened then?"

He stared at her. "Great big spaceship? Hovering over London? You didn't notice?"

She shrugged. "I had a bit of a hangover."

He let it go.

"I spent Christmas day just over there." He told her nodding to a place in front of them. "The Powell Estate. With this-" he broke off. "Family." He continued. "My friend she had this family." He looked down. "Well- Still…gone now."

Lily reached behind Donna and put her hand on his arm. He looked at her and she smiled softly. She squeezed his arm once and let go.

"You're friend," Donna began, noticing the interaction between the two of them. "Who was she?"

The Doctor though had moved on. "Question is, what do Robo-mercenaries want with you?" he asked, looking perplexed.

"And how did she get inside the TARDIS?" Lily asked.

"I don't know." He replied.

"But you know everything!" Lily told him, grinning, but he just ignored her.

"What's your job?" He asked Donna, while Lily quietly muttered, "You know I'm getting kind of sick of you ignoring me."

He reached into the pocket of his jacket that Donna was wearing and pulled out the sonic screwdriver.

"I'm a secretary." She told him.

He started to scan her while saying, "It's weird. I mean you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not cleaver, you're not important."

Donna glared at him. "This friend of yours, just before she left, did she punch you in the face?" she asked.

"No but I would!" Lily replied and Donna nodded.

"Hey!" the Doctor exclaimed.

Donna knocked the screwdriver out of her face. "Stop bleeping me!"

"Nice one." Lily whispered.

"Thanks."

The Doctor glared at Lily again and continued his questions.

"What kind of secretary?"

"I'm at H.C. Clemens." She told him. Her face went all soft again, "That's where I met Lance. I was temping."

"I mean it was all a pit posh, really." She told them. "I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm! Well, I thought, I'm never gonna fit in here. And then he made me a cup of coffee. I mean that just doesn't happen. No one gets the secretary a cup of coffee. And Lance, he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me!" She smiled. "But he was nice. He was funny. And, it turns out, he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. A cup of coffee."

"When was this?" the Doctor asked.

"Six months ago." She told him.

"Bit quick to get married, isn't it?" Lily wanted to know.

"Well, he insisted." She told them. "And he nagged and he nagged me."

The Doctor gave Lily a look that clearly said _Yeah right!_.

Lily giggled, but Donna just kept going.

"And he just wore me down. And then finally, I just gave in."

The Doctor chose to move on. "What does H.C. Clemens do?"

"Security systems." She told him. "You know, entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing." She shrugged, "You ask me, it's a posh name for locksmith's."

"Keys." He murmured.

"Anyway," she replied. "It's time to face the consequences." She shuttered. "It's going to be so shaming." She went back to glaring at him. "You can do the explaining, Martian Boy."

Lily laughed at the Doctor's expression. "Yeah," he told her, "I'm not from Mars." He stood and offered both hands to Donna and Lily, helping them both up.

"Oh I had this great big reception all planned." She told them as they stood. "Everyone's going to be heartbroken."

A/N: That's what you think. Anyway, there you go. Hope you liked it. Review Please!

Abbey


	9. The Runaway Bride: The Life of the Party

Disclaimer: I bow in humility before the greatness of Russell T Davies. I shun the stupidity of Steven Moffat. I, instead, request they give it to me.

Ch.9:

When they arrived, they found the reception in full swing. To say that Donna was shocked would be an understatement. No, looking at her face, the word Lily would choose would be pissed.

"You had the reception without me?"

Lance tried to save himself, pitiful as it was.

"Donna, what happened to you?"

"You HAD the reception WITHOUT me?" she repeated.

Before Lily could stop him, the Doctor chimed in with "Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Lily." Until he said that, she had been trying to look like she didn't know him, but when he pointed at her she weakly waved then slapped his arm.

Donna rounded on them. "They had the reception WITHOUT me!" she shouted at them.

"Yes." The Doctor replied. "I gathered that."

A blonde, stupid woman, who had been dancing with Lance when they arrived, decided to put her two cents in. "Well why not? It was all paid for."

Lily winced at the stupidity of that statement.

"Thank you, Nyeris." Donna growled.

"Ah so that's Nyeris." The Doctor whispered to Lily.

"Who's Nyeris?"

"The woman Donna accused of paying me to kidnap her."

"Ah."

In the mean time, Donna's mother had stepped up to the plate.

"What were we supposed to do?" she asked. ("Not have a reception when the bride is running for her life would be a start." Lily said, starting her own commentary.) "I got your silly little message in the end. I'm on Earth, very funny. What the hell is that supposed to mean, I'm on Earth?"

("That she was on Earth. What else could that mean?" the Doctor said getting in on it.)

"But what the hell happened?" her mother continued. At this point everyone started talking at once and when it all became too much, Donna let out a big sob. Everyone stopped. By the second sob, Lance had grabbed her in an embrace and she was crying into his shoulder. At least that's what everyone thought. As everyone in the crowed aww'ed , Donna winked at the Lily and the Doctor.

"I could never have gotten away with that." Lily said as the crowed moved away.

"Well you're not that special." The Doctor told her as he walked away.

Lily just stood there.

"What do you mean I'm not special? I'm damn special!" she called after him. She waited a few moments and then stomped after him.

*************************************************************************************

A few minutes later, they found themselves standing at the open bar. When Lily tried to order a drink, the Doctor stopped her.

"Where did you live on Earth?" he asked her.

She looked confused. "Before I met Jack, or after?"

"Before. Where did you grow up?" he replied.

"America. Florida. You know this, what's your point?"

"That until you're 21, you're not allowed to drink." He told her.

"Where the hell did you come up with that?" she asked him.

"You're an American citizen, so you follow their laws."

She looked at him, disbelieving. "So let me see if I've got this straight. By your rules, I can move to England on my own, go traveling with a 900 year old alien, sleep with said 900 year old alien, fight in a war, and travel to another whole universe by the time I'm 20, but I can't order a martini?"

"Yep." He told her, as if it was the most obvious thing.

"You do realize that I was already like 20 in Time Lord years when I was put through the arch, so I'm like 40, right?"

"Human Years." He replied.

"Right. You're crazy, you know that right?"

"Yep."

"Of course you do." She turned back to the bar keeper. "I guess I'm having a coke."

The Doctor saw a man on his phone and went to ask him if he could borrow it. He came back as Lily was getting her drink.

Seeing the phone, Lily said "I've been meaning to ask, my cell, will it work here?"

"It should." He told her. "I'll check it when we get back to the TARDIS. Now shh. I'm trying to find something out."

He typed in H.C. Clemens into the search engine and ran the sonic screwdriver over it. After a few seconds the phone spit out it's answer.

"Torchwood. They were in your stories and they definitely weren't like my Jack's Torchwood. They're the reason…" Lily broke off. They stood there in silence, then the Doctor closed the phone and gave it back.

They stood there watching the people. The Doctor spotted a blonde women dancing and was assaulted with memories of Rose. He shook his head to clear it and glanced at Lily. She didn't noticed, to wrapped in her own memories

"_Where are we going?" she asked as the Doctor dragged her out of the TARDIS._

"_You'll see."_

_As they emerge, the first thing she saw was the Eiffel Tower._

"_Oh my god." She breathed. "Paris"_

"_You said you'd never been, and I decided that was a travesty." He told her smiling. He kept smiling as she walked away and turned on the spot, trying to soak it all in. She turned so she was looking at him. _

"_Thank you." She said simply then walked up and kissed him._

"_Come on" he said. "We're going dancing."_

She felt the Doctor nudge her, and she quickly wiped away her tears.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah." She replied. She smiled up at him, "Just remembering."

He smiled back. "Me too."

She glanced around the room and saw the man videotaping the reception.

"Didn't you say something about wanting to see what happened at the wedding?"

*************************************************************************************

"Yeah I taped the whole thing." He told them when they asked. "We've all had a look. They said sell it to _You've Been Framed_, I said more like the news." He queued up the tape. "Here we are."

Lily and the Doctor watched as Donna glowed and disappeared.

"It can't be." The Doctor whispered. "Play it again?"

"Doctor?" Lily asked.

"But that's…Huon particles." He said.

"Umm, for the uninformed, what are Huon particles?" she asked.

"Their impossible, that's what they are." He told her, not noticing the strange looks the cameraman was giving them. "That's old, ancient. Huon energy doesn't exist anymore. That's billions and billions of years. So old…"

"Let me guess," Lily said as he turned to look at Donna, "it can't be hidden by a bio-damper?"

He took off running. "Yeah that's what I thought." She ran after him.

She found him at the front door. Outside stood two of the Robo-Santas. He took off running again and Lily followed.

"Donna!" he yelled as he ran in the room.

"Donna they found you!" he said as he reached her, Lily only a few seconds behind him.

"But you said I was safe!"

"The bio-damper doesn't work." Lily told her as the Doctor searched for a way out.

"We've got to get everyone out." He said.

"My god, it's all my family." She said, looking around.

"Out the back door!" Lily said pointing. They took off, but when they reached it, they saw two more Santas.

"Maybe not." The Doctor stated. They closed the doors and ran back inside. They ran to another and saw that it was too blocked. There was no way out.

"Oh, no." Lily moaned when they saw the controller.

"What?" Donna asked.

"Christmas trees." The Doctor said.

"What about them?"

The Doctor and Lily looked at each other and said together, "They kill."

A/N: You know, I will never look at Christmas Trees the same ever again. As always, please review.

Abbey


	10. The Runaway Bride: Who's in Charge?

Disclaimer: If I owned this I would be living on a tropical island, not Hicksville where I currently reside. Or at least England. Either way, it would not be anywhere the idiots who live around me.

Ch.10:

The Doctor sprung into action.

"Get away from the tree!" he yelled shooing everyone away. Lily and Donna joined him and helped him shoo people. People mostly seem to think they were nuts.

"Oh, for God's sake, the man's an idiot." Donna's mother proclaimed. "Why? What's a Christmas tree going to…oh."

The sight before them was incredibly surreal. It would have been funny if it wasn't so horrifying. The ornaments were floating away from the tree and hovering above them. All of a sudden they started to dive bomb. Everyone dove for cover as ornaments became explosives. Unnoticed, the Doctor made his way to the DJ's station in the midst of the confusion. Once he reached it, he stood and addressed the Santas.

"Oi! Santa! Word of advice: if you're attacking a man with a sonic device…" he picked up the microphone and spoke into it, "don't let him near the sound system." With that, he shoved the screwdriver into the amp. Everyone covered their ears as a loud high pitch was emitted from the speakers. Finally the Santas fell and the Doctor let up. Looking around at everyone starting to pick themselves up, he spotted Lily sitting by the bar with her knees pulled tight to her chest, staring in front of her. Fears born of this morning came rushing to the front of his mind. He jumped over the table and rushed to her.

"Lily!" he called. He breathed a sigh of relief when she looked up at him.

"Sorry." She said. "That's the first time I've heard explosions since…" she trailed off. She looked down. "Sorry" she repeated.

He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "It's fine. It's understandable. You have nothing to be sorry for." She returned his hug and they stood to see to the Santas.

Meanwhile, Donna was helping make sure everyone was alright. She slowly made her way through the crowd and over to The Doctor and Lily.

"Look at that." He said when she arrived. "Remote control for the decorations." He handed the controller to Lily to hold while he picked up the robot's head. "But there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not just scavengers anymore, someone's taken control."

"Never mind all that." Donna told him. "You're a doctor-people have been hurt."

The Doctor wasn't paying attention. "Nah they didn't want you hurt. See?" he throw one of the baubles at her. "Not active now."

She caught it. "All the same, you could help."

The Doctor put the head next to his ear. "Think of the bigger picture," he told her, "There's still a signal!" He immediately ran off with Lily following behind him at a slower pace. After a moment, Donna moved to follow too, when her mother stopped her.

"Donna, who is he?" she asked. "Who is that man?"

Not having an answer, Donna just turned and followed them outside.

She found them outside.

"There's someone behind this." He was saying. "Directing the Robo-forms."

"But why me?" she demanded. "What have I done?"

He was studying his screwdriver, "Find the controller, we'll find that out." Lily replied for him.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. He was pointing his screwdriver towards the sky. "It's up there."

"Something in the sky?" Lily asked looking up.

Suddenly he ran off then ran back. "I've lost the signal." He told them. He looked at Donna. "We've got to get to your office, H.C. Clemens. I think that's where all this started." He looked around and spotted Lance.

"Lance! Lance, is it? Can you give me a lift?"

As Lance led them to his car, the Doctor pulled back to talk to a still subdued Lily.

"Are you alright?" he asked, giving her a worried look. She wasn't saying much, just standing there with her arms wrapped around herself.

She looked up at him and smiled.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She told him.

"Are you-"

She cut him off. "Doctor, you've got bigger things to worry about than me. If something's wrong, I'll tell you. Till then, Don't. Worry."

He nodded and they all got in Lance's tiny car.

*************************************************************************************

By the time they arrived at H.C. Clemens, Lily seemed much more like herself. They got out and raced up to Donna's office.

"You lot might think this is just a locksmith." He told them as they raced into the building, "But H.C. Clemens was brought up twenty-three years ago by The Torchwood Institute."

"Who are they?" Donna asked as the Doctor sat down at her computer.

"They were behind the battle of-What was it, Doctor?" Lily asked as the Doctor typed something on the computer.

"Canary Warf." He said, still typing. He looked up and saw Donna's blank look.

"Cybermen invasion?"

Still looking confused, he elaborated. "Skies over London, full of Daleks?"

"I was in Spain." She told him.

"They had Cybermen in Spain." He told her slowly.

"I was scuba diving." She said, as if this cleared it all up.

Both Lily and the Doctor just stared at her. Finally Lily finally responded.

"Geez, Donna, that big picture, you just keep missing it." She told the older woman.

"Torchwood was destroyed," the Doctor said, plowing on, "But H.C. Clemens stayed in business." He ran to another computer. "I think someone else came in and took over the operation." He hit the computer when it didn't do what he wanted it to do.

"You know that doesn't work with the TARDIS," Lily told him, "so what makes you think it going to help now?"

"But what do they want with me?" Donna asked.

The Doctor stood. "Somehow, you've been dosed with Huon energy." He told her. "And that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't been existed since The Dark Times. The only version of a Huon particle is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See that's what happened."

He picked up a mug and a pencil.

"Say that's the TARDIS." He told her, holding up the mug. "And that's you." He lifted the pencil. "The particles activated inside of you. The two sets of particles magnetized and WHAP." He put the pencil inside the mug. "You were pulled inside the TARDIS."

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked weakly.

"Yes you are. 4H. Sums you up." He replied.

Lily gave him a look. "We have got to work on your analogies when this is all over." She told him.

The Doctor moved on. "Lance? What was H.C. Clemens working on?" he asked. "Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?" he moved to another computer and used the sonic screwdriver on it.

"I don't know." Lance told him. "I'm in charge of personal. I wasn't project manager." Suddenly he got defensive. "Why am I even explaining myself to you? What the hell are we talking about?"

"You make keys. That's the point." Lily said, reading over the Doctor's shoulder.

"And look at this." The Doctor said. "We're on the third floor, underneath reception, there's a basement yes?" They moved to the elevator. When the doors opened, the Doctor moved to the button panel. "So how come, on the lift, there's a button marked 'lower basement'?" he asked.

"There's a whole floor not on the official plans?" Lily asked.

"Yep."

"Cool."

The Doctor nodded. "The question becomes: so what's down there?"

"Are you telling me this building has got a secret floor?" Lance asked.

"No, I'm showing you this building has a secret floor." The Doctor told him, while Lily just looked at him like he was an idiot.

"It needs a key." Donna pointed out.

"I don't." he told her, pointing the screwdriver at it. "Alright, thanks you two, we can handle it from here."

"No way, Martian." Donna said moving on to the lift. "You two keep saving my life, I ain't letting you out of my sight."

Lance hesitated. "Maybe I should go to the police." He said.

Donna just gave him a look and said "Inside".

He meekly got in.

"To honor and obey?" the Doctor asked.

"Tell me about it, mate." Lance replied.

"Oi!" Donna exclaimed, while Lily just hit the Doctor upside the head.

The doors closed and they were on their way.

A/N: *announcer voice* Lily's getting worse as time goes on and the Doctor's worried. So what will happen? Find out next time on: _Never Gonna Be Alone._

Abbey


	11. The Runaway Bride: It's Under What!

Disclaimer: I have no witty things to say for this chapter. My grief is just too much. David's leaving has broken me. Suffice to say, Doctor Who will never be mine.

Ch.11:

They arrived in damp looking corridors that seem to go on forever.

"Where are we?" Donna asked. "What goes on down here?"

"Creepy water dripping: Check. Bad lighting: Check. Multiple Doors: Check." Lily said, looking deep in thought. "Yep, it's a secret lair! All we're missing is the bad creepy music."

The Doctor smiled, glad to see she was back making bad jokes.

"Shut up."

"Ok."

He turned to Donna and answered her question.

"Let's find out."

"Do you think Mr. Clemens knows about this place?" she asked him.

"The mysterious H.C. Clemens? Oh I think he's part of it." He told her.

Lily had wandered off a bit.

"Oh Doctor!"

When he turned to look at her, she pointed.

"Look! I provide transport."

*************************************************************************************

They glided down the corridor on motorized scooters. Lily was doing her very best to not laugh simply by not looking at anyone, but when she heard Donna start to laugh, that was it. Within a few seconds, Donna, the Doctor, and Lily were laughing their heads off while Lance looked at them like they were crazy.

Finally they came across a door marked "TORCHWOOD: AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY". Of course that was the door the Doctor wanted to go through. When he finally got it open they looked in and saw a ladder leading up to a hatch.

"Wait here." He told them. "I just need to get my bearings." He pointed at Lily. "Don't do anything!"

"What would I possibly do?" she asked him.

"You better come back." Donna told him.

He smirked at her. "Couldn't get rid of you if I tried."

He had begun to climb, when Lily called to him.

"Be careful." She told him seriously.

He smiled "I always am." He told her and continued climbing.

When he reached the top, he opened the hatch and found himself looking out over the Thames.

He jumped back down.

"Thames flood barrier." He told them

"We're underneath the Thames flood barrier?" Lily asked him incredulously.

"Yep" he replied. "Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath."

"What, there's like a secret base hidden under a major London land mark?" Donna asked.

"I know." He replied. "Unheard of."

Lily chuckled as she remember that in both universes, the Nestene had had it's base under the London Eye.

The Doctor walked off and they followed.

*************************************************************************************

They soon found themselves in a laboratory. Donna and Lily looked around in wonder and Lance brought up the rear. The Doctor looked like a kid in a candy shop.

"Ooo! Look at this!" he called, walking up the bubbling…thing. "Stunning!"

"Oh yes. Stunning." Lily told him. "But what does it do?"

He looked at her with a disapproving air. "And you call yourself a Time Lady."

She glared at him. "No, I call myself a human who was changed from a Time Lord twenty years ago, so give me a break." She thought for a second. "Also I would never call myself a Time Lady."

He looked at her curiously. "Why not?"

She shrugged, "It sounds…I don't know…too misogynistic?"

He stared at her. He was opening his mouth to respond, when Donna interrupted.

"I don't know what the two of you are going on about, but can we get back to the matter at hand?" When they looked appropriately sheepish, she continued. "What does it do?"

"Particle extrusion." He replied. "Hold up." He ran to one of the tubes and tapped it. "Brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles. In case my people got rid of Huons, they unraveled the atomic structure."

"Your people?" Lance asked. "Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lily went back to staring at him like he was an idiot.

"Oh I'm a freelancer." He answered vaguely. "But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result - Huon particles in liquid form." He picked up a test tube.

"And that's what I've got inside of me?" Donna asked.

The Doctor turned a knob at the top of the test tube and held it close to Donna. Both she and the tube began to glow.

"Oh my god."

The Doctor turned the knob back and the glow stopped.

"Genius. Because the particles are inert - they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you. Saturate the body and then... HA!" he suddenly yelled causing Donna and Lily to jump. "The wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's _it!_ Best day of your life, walking down the aisle - oh, your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, WHAM go the endorphins, oh you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven! A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away, the particles reach boiling point, SHAZAM-" he broke off.

Donna had slapped him again.

"What did I do this time?!"

Lily decided to answer this one. "The explanation at five hundred miles a second made me want to hit you, but I think it was your comparison of her to the pressure cooker that did it for her."

"Are you enjoying this?" Donna asked them. They both seemed to shrink, and she continued. "Right, just tell me. These particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?"

"Yes." The Doctor told her, obviously lying.

"Doctor." She looked at him. "If you're lot got rid of Huon particles, why did they do that?"

He looked at her seriously. "Because they were deadly."

As Donna let out a cry, Lily came up and wrapped her in a hug.

"He'll sort it out." She told her.

The Doctor nodded. "I promise you, whatever's been done to you, I'll reverse it. I am not about to lose someone else."

Lily pulled away, and went to stand next to the Doctor. Leaning close she whispered,

"Doctor, I told her once before that you would save her." She told him. "Please don't make a liar out of me again."

He briefly grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, nodding.

She nodded and he let go. Suddenly there was a loud hissing noise.

"Oh she is long since lost."

They all looked around, trying to identify where the voice was coming from. With a loud noise, the wall in front of them began to move.

"I have waited so long." The voice continued. "Hibernating at the edge of the universe…"

Unnoticed by the rest of them, Lance slipped out the door.

"…Until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken."

The Doctor, Lily, and Donna found themselves at gun point.

"Oh my day was not complete till now." Lily muttered.

A/N: Here come the Raccnos. That's should be a song. Anyway, I'm trying to get this episode done, but it seems to be unending. I just keep finding new things to add. On a personal note: Rara Saryn. Your reviews make this so much easier to write. I'm glad you like Lily! Thanks so much. So as always, everyone, please review.

Abbey


	12. The Runaway Bride: Why?

Disclaimer: When I own the Doctor, my life will be complete. Till then, my only solace is fan fiction.

Ch.12:

Seeing that they weren't going to shoot on sight, the Doctor walked forward.

"Um, Doctor?" Lily said, following behind. "That's a really big hole."

"Yes it is." He walked to the edge. "Oh very Torchwood. Drilled by laser?" he asked. "How far down does it go?"

"Down and down." The mysterious voice replied.

"And down and down, where it stops, nobody knows." Lily interrupted in a singsong voice.

"All the way to the center of the Earth." The voice continued.

"Of course it does." Lily continued.

"Really?" the Doctor asked. "Seriously, what for?"

"Dinosaurs." Donna told him.

Both Lily and the Doctor stared at her.

"What?" he asked

"That film, _Under the Earth_, with Dinosaurs." She told him. They just kept staring. "Trying to help."

"You're not helping." He replied.

"No I'm with her." Lily said. He stared at her in shock. "What? That'd be cool."

"What a sweet couple." The voice said.

The Doctor turned around. "Only a madman talks to thin air, and, trust me, you don't want to make me mad." He yelled. "Where are you?"

"Maybe she's in the hole." Lily muttered.

"High in the sky." The voice told them. "Floating so high on Christmas night."

"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom." He called. "Come on! Let's have a look at you"

"Who are you, with such commands?" the voice asked.

"Besides the most bossy person in the universe?" Lily quipped.

"I'm the Doctor." He said over Lily.

"Prepare your best medicines, Doctor Man." The voice told him. "For soon you will be sick at heart."

"Seriously?" Lily wanted to know. "What is this? A B Movie Spy film?"

The Doctor just hushed her.

Suddenly, there was a bright light and a giant half-humanoid, half-spider…thing appeared.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Lily screamed, running behind the Doctor, causing both the Doctor and Donna to jump out of their skins.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked trying to comfort her without turning his back on the newcomer.

Lily was muttering. "Raid. Lots and lots of Raid. Galleons of it. Drown it in Raid."

"Lily, what is going on?"

Lily glared at him. "I _hate _spiders." She told him, vehemently.

He stared at her. "Really?" he told her sarcastically. "I would have never guessed."

He turned back to the thing. "Racnoss." He said. "That's impossible. You're one of the Racnoss." He called, disbelieving.

"Empress of the Racnoss." She corrected.

"Does this kill the bug spray idea?" Lily wanted to know.

"If you're the empress," the Doctor asked, "where are the rest of the Racnoss? OR," he continued on, "are you the only one?"

"Such a sharp mind." The Empress replied in answer.

"You wouldn't think that if you watched him drive." Lily muttered, still standing behind the Doctor. He reached behind him and swatted her.

"That's it. Last of your kind." He said to her. "The Racnoss come from the Dark Times." He told Lily and Donna. "Billions and Billions of years ago. They were carnivores, omnivores. They devoured whole planets."

"Racnoss are born starving." The Empress interrupted. "Is that our fault?"

"Ever heard of something called 'control'" Lily called from safely behind the Doctor, not about to abandon her barrier between her and the dreaded spider thing. "How 'bout 'moderation'?"

"They eat people?" Donna asked, disgusted.

"Umm, Donna?" Lily asked. "H.C. Clemens, did he where those black and white things on his shoes?"

"He did!" she replied. "We used to laugh. We used to call him the fat cat in spats."

The Doctor just nodded and pointed.

"Oh my God." She yelled, spotting the shoes in the webbing on the ceiling.

"My Christmas Dinner." The Empress said.

"How about a shoe? Got a giant shoe anywhere?" Lily asked.

"I'm with her." Donna agreed.

The Doctor just ignored them. "You shouldn't even exist." He told the Empress. "Way back in history, the Fledgling Empires went to war with the Racnoss," He said, continuing his history lesson for Lily and Donna. "They were wiped out."

"Except for me."

While this was all going on, Donna had spotted Lance climbing up behind the Empress. When she spotted the ax, she tried to keep the focus on her.

"And that's what I've got inside me? That Huon energy?" she called. "Oi look at me, Lady." She yelled when the Empress tried to turn away. "I'm talking. Where do I fit in?" she wanted to know. "How come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles?" Lance was getting closer. "Look at me, you! Look me in the eye and tell me!"

"The Bride is so feisty!"

"Damn straight she is." Lily muttered, finally edging out from behind the Doctor, but grabbing his hand and holding it firmly. She really, really didn't like spiders.

"Yes I am." Donna agreed. "And I don't know what you are, you big thing." By now both Lily and the Doctor had noticed Lance. "But a spider is just a spider, and an ax is a ax. Now do it!" She yelled.

Lance raised the ax just as the Empress turned and spotted him. He didn't move. Then he turned to them and started to laugh.

"That was a good one." He said pointing to the Empress. "Your face."

"Lance is funny." The Empress told them.

"What?" Donna asked, confused. Lily let go of the Doctor's hand and took hold of Donna's.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Sorry for what?" Donna asked, still confused. "Lance, don't be so stupid. Get her!"

"God she's thick." Lance said with a sneer.

"Hey, shut the hell up, you asshole." Lily told him, fury evident on her face.

"Months I've had to put up with her." He continued, unfazed by Lily's outburst. "Months! A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map."

"I don't understand." Donna said softly.

"How did you meet him?" Lily asked her just as softly.

"In the office." She replied.

"He made you coffee." The Doctor told her.

"What?" she asked, uncomprehending.

"Every day, I made you coffee." Lance said slowly, as if to an idiot.

"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months." The Doctor told her, ignoring Lance.

"He was poisoning me?" Donna asked, looking between the Doctor and Lily.

"It was all there in the job title." He told her.

"The Head of Human Resources." Lily said disgustedly.

"This time-it's personnel." Lance quipped. Both he and the Empress laughed, while the Doctor held Lily back.

"I could end this now." She told him softly.

He looked down, into her eyes and asked, "Without losing control?"

She looked down. When he was sure she wasn't going to try to attack again, he let go.

"But…we were getting married." Donna said. Lily walked over and wrapped her arm around the older woman, but Donna didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off." He told her cruelly. "I _had _to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavour Pringle. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap - "oh, Brad and Angelina - is Posh pregnant?" X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me, dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia." He got an ugly look on his face. "I deserve a medal."

Lily opened he mouth to tear into the jerk, but the Doctor got there first.

"Oh is that what she's offered you, the Empress of the Racnoss?" he asked with a sneer. "What are you? Her consort?"

Lance just smirked. "It's better than a night with her."

Donna looked as if someone had punched her. "But I love you."

Lance just kept smirking. "That's what made it easy. It's like you said, Doctor - the big picture - what's the point of it all if the Human Race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to... go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?"

"You unmitigated jackass." Lily told him. "No matter what you do, you will always be a little pathetic man, with nothing to offer anyone." Fury rang with every word. "You will never be more than a sniveling lap dog to a disgusting parasite. And for that I pity you."

"Who are this annoying she-human and the little physician?" The Empress asked.

"What she said-Martian." He answered.

"Oh, we're sort of... homeless." The Doctor answered. " But the point is, what's down here? The Racnoss are extinct. What's gonna help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?" he asked.

"I think he wants us to talk." Lance said.

"I think so too." The Empress replied.

"Well tough," Lance sneered. "All we need is Donna."

"Over my dead body." Lily told him, gearing up for a fight. No way was she going to let this bastard touch her friend.

"Kill this little doctor man and his annoying girl-friend." The Empress ordered.

"Don't you hurt them!" Donna yelled moving in front of them.

"No. No, it's alright." The Doctor said.

"No I won't let 'em." She said.

"At arms." The Empress called, and all the Robots raised their guns.

"Ah now. Except," the Doctor called.

"Take aim." The Empress continued.

"Well I just want to point out the obvious," the Doctor tried again.

"They won't hit the bride," the Empress told him. "They're such very good shots."

"Just-- just-- just-- hold on, just a tick, just a tiny-- just a little-- tick. If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So," he reached inside his pocket, "reverse it... the spaceship comes to her."

He turned the knob on the end of the test tube and it started to glow. The robots fired but Donna, Lily and the Doctor were already safely inside the TARDIS. They looked around.

"Off we go."

A/N: Lily's a little pissed at the treatment of her friend. She really wanted to kill Lance, but I decided being eaten alive sucked worse. Anyway, feedback please.

Abbey.


	13. The Runaway Bride: In the Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. *silence*…*hysterical, uncontrollable sobs*

Ch.13:

The Doctor ran to the counsel and started pushing buttons.

"Oh you know what I said earlier about time machines?" he asked. "Well I lied." He flipped a switch. "And now we're gonna use it. We need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. Something's buried at the planets core, it must've been there since the beginning. That's just _brilliant_. Molto bene! I've always wanted to see this. Donna - we're going further back than I've ever been before."

Lily just let him ramble, knowing that that was how he handled things. In the meantime, she helped Donna to the jump seat. When Donna shoulders began to shake with silent sobs, Lily pulled her to her and held her while the woman cried. The Doctor glanced over and stopped talking when he saw that Donna needed a moment. Silence reigned in the TARDIS while Lily let Donna cry herself out on her shoulder. Finally the red head's tears slowed and she pulled away.

"Better now?" Lily asked softly, feeling for the first time that she might have a chance at getting her old friend back.

Donna nodded and smiled weakly. "Thanks."

Lily smiled in return. "What are friends for?"

The Doctor watched them smiling to himself. "We've arrived." He told them. "Wanna see?"

Donna shrugged. "Suppose."

The Doctor moved the monitor around and considered it.

"That scanner's a bit small." He finally concluded. "Maybe your way's better."

He walked to the TARDIS doors and threw them open. Lily smiled at his behavior and got up, pulling Donna with her.

"Come on." She told her. "When he's acting this childish, it usually means whatever it is, it's worth seeing."

"Hey, no human's ever seen this!" he pouted, looking put out by their lack of enthusiasm. "You two will be the first." He looked at Lily, "Well Donna will be. I don't know how to classify you. You're human, but you're not." He glared at her. "This whole 'Time Lord turned Human' thing is very annoying."

She glared right back at him. "You certainly know how to make a girl feel great about herself." She told him. "You know what else is annoying?"

"What?"

"You." With that she walked right past him to the open doors.

"All I want to see's my bed." Donna told him.

Both she and Lily stood in awe of the sight before them.

"Donna Noble, Lily Carter, welcome to the creation of The Earth."

He stood back, entirely too pleased with himself.

Before them glowed a newly formed Sun, and around them were a multitude of rocks and gasses.

"We've gone back 4.6 billion years." He told them. "There's no solar system, not yet. Only rocks, and dust, and gas." He pointed. "That's the Sun over there, brand new. Just beginning to burn."

"Where's the Earth?" Donna asked.

"All around us." Lily answered, beating the Doctor to it. "In the dust."

"Puts the wedding in perspective. Lance was right. We're just... _tiny_." She said.

"No." Lily said immediately. "Nothing he said was right. Humans…you're anything but tiny. You never accept the limits people put on you. You break them by making sense out of chaos with little things, like birthdays and weddings and Christmas and calendars. The whole process is beautiful. But only when it's being observed."

Donna thought about what she said.

"So I came out of all this?" she asked, motioning to the debris around them.

"Isn't it brilliant?" the Doctor answered, grinning.

Donna spotted a larger bit of rock.

"I think that's the isle of Wright." She told them. Lily was glad to see her joke.

"Eventually, gravity takes hold." The Doctor told them. "Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in, everything, piling in until you get the..."

"Earth." Donna finished.

"But, the question is…" the Doctor started.

"What became the first rock?" Lily ended.

And star shaped ship emerged from the gasses.

"Look!" Donna said, pointing.

"The Racnoss." The Doctor whispered. He ran back to the counsel.

"Hang on." Lily said. "What are they doing? Shouldn't they be hiding from the war?"

"They're doing exactly what you said." Donna told them.

"Oh, they didn't just _bury _something at the centre of the Earth... they _became _the centre of the Earth. The first rock." He exclaimed.

Suddenly the TARDIS shuttered.

"What was that?" Donna asked.

The Doctor walked back to the doors. "Trouble." He slammed them shut.

Donna and Lily followed him back.

"You know she's really not happy now, right?" Lily asked him.

"Yes I know." He told her crossly.

"I mean first Donna gets dragged on board. Then you make her fly down a high way. Then you drag her to Donna. And now she's being dragged back?" she asked him.

"I know, Lily."

"All I'm saying is, she's getting kind of annoyed." She told him with a shrug.

He stared at her. "You do realize I can hear my own ship, right?" he asked her. "I don't need you to translate."

Lily smiled. "Tell her that."

"What the hell is going on?" Donna wanted to know. By now, the trip was getting kind of violent.

"Remember that little trick I pulled - particles pulling particles?" he asked her. "It works in reverse - they're pulling us back!"

"Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?" she demanded.

"Great." He muttered. "Another backseat driver."

Lily whacked him on the head as she passed, helping him keep the TARDIS steady.

"Oh!" he yelled. He reached below and pulled something out. "The extrapolator!" He set it in front of him. "Can't stop us, but it should give us a bump." He looked at Lily. "Get over here and help." He told her.

The TARDIS rematerialized as they were finishing up setting it up. The Doctor got out his favorite tool.

"Now!" he said as he whacked the extrapolator with his mallet and Lily pressed the necessary buttons.

The TARDIS dematerialized and rematerialized in a corridor.

"We're about 200 yards to the right." He told them. Grabbing Lily and Donna's hand, they ran.

A/N: We're coming into the home stretch for this episode. I'm really hoping that they won't all be this long, but if they are, this may be split into two stories, one for third series and one for fourth. Anyway, what will be will be. Please review!

Abbey


	14. The Runaway Bride: Merry Christmas

Disclaimer: Ok, question time. Why in God's name would I be writing fan fiction to correct a plot that I owned? Come on people.

Ch.14:

They ran back to the door that led to the top of the flood barrier. The Doctor pulled out his stethoscope and put it against the door, listening intently.

"But what are we going to do?" Donna puffed out, not as used to all the running as Lily and the Doctor were.

"Oh please, like he knows." Lily scoffed. The Doctor turned and glared at her, offended. "What?" she responded. "Like you ever have a plan. You just make it up as you go. History has proven that." He thought about it for a second, then shrugged. She had a point.

He went back to listening.

"But I still don't understand." Donna continued. "I'm full of particles-but what for?"

"There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but my people unravelled their power source." He told her. "The Huon particles ceased to exist but the Racnoss are stuck."

Unnoticed by Lily and the Doctor, a Robot came up behind them. He grabbed Donna from behind, putting a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream, and dragged her away.

"They've just been in hibernation for billions of years." The Doctor continued, unaware Donna was gone. "Frozen. Dead. Kaput! So you're the new key. Brand new particles, living particles! They need you to open it and…" he trailed off, realizing something wasn't right. He looked at Lily.

"Donna, you have never been so quiet." She said, cringing. Both she and the Doctor turned and found Donna missing. They looked at each other.

"You were supposed to be watching her!" The Doctor said, pointing accusingly at Lily.

"Shut up."

They ran off.

*************************************************************************************

Donna was looking really pissed again. She was stuck to the ceiling next to the man, that at the moment, she hated more than anyone else on the planet.

"I hate you." She told him.

He gave her a look of disbelief.

"Yeah, I think we've gone a bit passed that now, sweetheart."

"My golden couple. Together at last - your awful wedded life. Tell me; do you want to be released?" The Empress asked.

"Yes!" they both yelled, finally agreeing on something.

"You're supposed to say, I do." The Empress told them reproachfully.

"Ha! No chance." Lance told her.

"Say it!" the Empress demanded.

Lance glanced at Donna and said, grudgingly "I do."

Donna didn't even bother looking at him. "I do."

"I don't!" The Empress told them, obviously thinking she was the height of funny. "Activate the particles!" she called. "Purge every last one!"

Donna and Lance both began to glow.

"And release!"

The gold glow seemed to separated it's self from them and fall into the hole.

"The secret heart unlocks." She told them. "And they will awaken from their sleep of ages."

"Who will?" Donna asked. "What's down there?"

"How thick are you?" Lance asked.

"My children, the long lost Racnoss." The Empress proclaimed. "Now will be born to feast on flesh."

From far below, they could hear chirping and skittering, coming closer with every second.

"The web star shall come to me." She called. "My babies will be hungry. They need sustenance. Perish the web."

Lance started to panic. "Use her!" he yelled. "Not me! Use her!"

The Empress just laughed at him. "Oh, my funny little Lance! But you are quite impolite to your lady-friend. The Empress does not approve."

With that, the web loosened. Donna could only watch in horror as he fell.

"Harvest the humans!" The Empress called. "Reduce them to meat"

"My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them!" She hissed, turning to one of the robots. "So you might as well unmask, my clever little doctor-man."

The Doctor removed his mask and cloak, while Lily moved out of the shadows.

"Oh well." He said, dropping both items. "Nice try." He turned his attention to Donna. "I've got you, Donna." He pointed the sonic screwdriver at her and the web loosened.

"I'm gonna fall!" she screamed.

"Correction:" Lily called. "You're gonna swing."

Sure enough, she swung over the hole towards the Doctor's out stretched arms.

"I've got ya!" he called. Lily cringed as Donna hit the wall right below them. "…oh. Sorry."

They looked down and saw her laying spread eagle on the floor below them.

"Thanks for nothing." She called up to them.

"You're welcome!" Lily called back cheerfully.

The Empress laughed. "The Doctor-man amuses me."

"Empress of the Racnoss - I give you one last chance." He told her. "I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to coexist. Take that offer and end this now."

"These men are so funny." The Empress responded.

"What is your answer?" he demanded.

"Oh," she told him. "I'm afraid I have to decline."

"You really should have taken his offer." Lily told her, leaning casually over the railing, ready to watch the show. "What happens next is your own doing."

"I'll show you what happens next." The Empress hissed. "At arms!" she called. All the Robots raised their guns. "Take aim! And-"

"Relax." The Doctor said quietly. The Robots did just that.

"What did you do?" Donna asked.

"Guess what he's got." Lily answered in a deadly quiet voice.

The Doctor pulled out the remote and showed it to her. "Pockets." He finished.

"How did that fit in there?" she asked.

Lily grinned. "They're bigger on the inside."

"Robo-forms are not necessary." The Empress screeched. "My children may feast on Martian flesh."

"Oh, but we're not from Mars." He told her, in the same deadly voice Lily had used.

"Then where?" The Empress hissed.

"Our home planet is far away and long-since gone. But its name lives on. Gallifrey." He told her.

That was when she really lost it.

"They _murdered_ the Racnoss!" she screamed.

"We warned you." Lily told her. "You did this."

The Doctor pulled out some of the ornaments from earlier. He didn't even seem to hear her as she begged for him to stop. He threw them in the air. For a second, they hovered there, but then some went and fell in the hole, while others surrounded the Empress. Still others blew a hole in the wall, allowing tons and tons of water to flow in.

"My children!" the Empress screamed as they were wiped out by the floods.

The Doctor and Lily just stood there, impassively as the last of the Racnoss were drowned.

"Doctor." Donna called. Getting no response, she tried again. "Lily. You can stop now."

Neither seemed to register what she had said for a long moment. Finally the Doctor looked at Donna.

"Come on." He called. "Time I got you out."

He looked at Lily, who still hadn't moved. He grabbed her hand and made her look at him.

"Time to go, Lily girl."

She nodded and let him lead her out.

They ran down the hall, back to the door leading to the flood barrier.

"But what about the Empress?" Donna wanted to know.

"She used up all her Huon energy." He told her as they climbed. "She's defenseless."

They reached the top and the Doctor helped first Donna out and then Lily. He held Lily as she shook and they watched as the Empress's ship was blown from existence.

"There's just one problem." Donna told them, looking around.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked, not taking his eyes from the sight in the sky.

"We've drained the Thames." She said.

That was all it took. Lily collapsed in hysterical laughter, with the other two not far behind.

*************************************************************************************

The TARDIS rematerialized right outside Donna's house. Donna and the Doctor stepped out, while Lily stood leaning in the door way.

"There we go." The Doctor said, patting the TARDIS fondly. "Told you she'd be alright. She can survive anything."

"See one day she's not going to and you're gonna be sorry you said that." Lily told him sagely. He just swatted her.

"More than I've done." Donna told them sadly.

The Doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He scanned her and nodded.

"Nope! All the Huon particles have gone." He told her. "No damage. You're fine."

Donna just shook her head. "Yeah, but apart from that... I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day. Sort of." She told them.

Lily walked over and wrapped the woman in a hug, and was surprised when she returned it.

"I couldn't save him." The Doctor told her sadly.

"He deserved it." She replied from over Lily's shoulder.

Lily pulled back and gave her a look.

"No he didn't" she relented.

Lily pulled all the way back and went to stand with the Doctor. Donna glanced back at her house.

"I'd better get inside." She told them. "They'll be worried."

"Best Christmas present they could get." The Doctor told her.

They looked at the house and saw Donna's Dad embrace her mother.

"Oh that's right." The Doctor said. "You hate Christmas."

"Yes I do." Donna agreed.

"Even if it snows?" Lily asked, exchanging a look with the Doctor. He reached inside the TARDIS and flipped a switch. A light shot in the air and suddenly it began to snow.

Donna laughed with delight. "I can't believe you did that!"

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." He said, trying to act casual. Lily poked him and he grinned. Donna returned it.

"Merry Christmas." She told them.

"What are you going to do now?" Lily asked.

"Not getting married for starters." She told them. "And I'm not gonna temp anymore. I dunno... travel... see a bit more of planet Earth... walk in the dust. Just... go out there and _do _something."

The Doctor looked at Lily and saw her nod in answer to his unspoken question.

"Well you could always…" he began.

"What?" she asked.

"…come with us…"

Donna smiled.

"No."

"Okay." The Doctor said quickly, trying to hide the sting. Lily, on the other hand, smiled widely.

"I can't." Donna told them.

"That's fine." Lily told her, still smiling.

"No, but really..." she asked "everything we did today... do you live your life like that?"

"No." the Doctor answered, while Lily answered "Yes." They looked at each other and Lily relented.

"Not all the time."

"I think you do." She told them. "And I couldn't."

"But you've seen it out there." The Doctor said. "It's beautiful."

"And it's terrible." She countered. "That place was flooding and burning and they were dying and you two stood there like... I don't know... strangers. And then you made it snow!" she pointed accusingly at the Doctor. "I mean, you scare me to death!"

They stood there in silence.

"Well then." The Doctor finally said.

"Tell you what I will do though," she told them. "Christmas dinner. Oh come on then." She said when she saw them hesitating.

"I don't do that sort of thing." The Doctor told her.

"You did last year. You said so." She said. "And you might as well. Mum always cooks enough for twenty."

After a moment of trying to come up with an excuse, the Doctor finally gave in.

"Oh, all right then." He told her, beginning to usher Lily back in. "But you go first, better warn them. And... don't say I'm a Martian. I just have to park her properly," he told her, motioning to the TARDIS. "She might drift off to the Middle Ages. I'll see you in a minute." He closed the doors behind him. Donna started to walk off when she heard the engines start.

"Doctor!" she yelled. "DOCTOR!"

The doors opened again.

"Blimey, she can shout." The Doctor said to Lily, who just grinned.

"Am I ever gonna see you two again?" Donna asked.

Lily walked back out and wrapped her new/old friend in a tight hug.

"If we're lucky." The Doctor answered as Lily pulled away.

Donna held on a second longer, looking between the Doctor and Lily.

"Just promise me one thing…" she told them. "Find someone."

"We don't need anyone." Lily told her with a forced smirk.

"Yeah you do." Donna told her seriously. "Because, sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you." She held the Doctor's gaze and then pulled Lily back into a hug.

"Yeah." Lily whispered.

"Thanks then, Donna." The Doctor said as Lily walked back. "Good luck. And just be- magnificent."

Donna smiled. "Yeah, I think I will."

The Doctor was pulling the doors shut again when she called his name.

"Oh, what is it now?"

"That friend of yours-" she asked. "What was her name?"

Lily grabbed his hand. He looked back at her and then looked back at Donna.

"Her name was Rose." He told her.

She nodded and he closed the doors.

A/N: That's it for the Runaway Bride folks. My God that was hard work. Now don't let it go to waste. REVIEW!!!!!!!

Abbey


	15. Echoes of Pain

Disclaimer: I have just spotted the rare and elusive Doctoris Whous. Watch as it relaxes in it natural habitat, the BBC. Many have tried to capture this beautiful creature, but to date no one has succeeded. Now watch as the ruthless Stevenis Moffattis tries to destroy this gentle creature.

Ch. 15:

Lily and the Doctor walked up the ramp.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked her.

She turned and grinned at him. "When we started today, that Donna couldn't have been further from my Donna if she had tried. She was selfish, petty, bitchy, and lazy. But the Donna we just left?" If possible, her grin got bigger. "She was on her way to being the woman who I loved and who became my best friend after the Doctor." She shook her head. "It just showed me that maybe things aren't as different as I thought."

The Doctor smiled and pulled her into a hug. They stood in silence, until the Doctor let out a sigh of relief.

"What?" Lily asked, looking up at him.

He looked down at her, all seriousness. "I'm really glad she didn't come with us." He said solemnly.

"What?!" Lily shouted, pulling away and looking outraged.

He grinned at her. "I never could have handled two of you!"

She stood there in shock for a second and then lunged at him. He dodged her and ran around the counsel. She ran after him as he sprinted out of the control room.

"Come back here!" she yelled.

The TARDIS sighed, contently.

*************************************************************************************

The next few days were spent in the Vortex trying to repair some of the damage done during the flight down the highway. As the Doctor worked, he began to realize something wasn't right. All through the fiasco with the Empress, Lily had had bad moments, but she seemed to get past them. Now she was withdrawing, only speaking when spoken to and even then only with one word answers when she could get away with it. She would every once in awhile say something like her normal self, but then she would quickly fall back.

_She's in pain. _The TARDIS told him when he asked. _She isn't sleeping and she isn't eating. If you don't do something soon, she's going to hurt herself._

With no option left, he went looking for her. With the TARDIS's help, he found her in the music room. When he walked in, she looked up with a smile that was obviously forced.

"What's up?" she asked. He could tell she was only asking because she thought she should. She turned back to the book case.

"Lily…" he began but trailed off, not knowing where to start.

She turned back and the fake smile quickly fell away when she saw his face.

"We need to talk." He finally said.

She turned away, making herself busy.

"About what?"

He moved closer. "I think you know what." When she didn't say anything, he tried again. "We need to talk about what happened when you saw Donna."

"I was surprised." She told him. "That's all."

"You nearly lost control."

She turned and glared at him. "I was surprised." She repeated coldly and turned back around. "It won't happen again."

"Yes it will!" he shot back. "The longer you suppress them, the stronger the memories become." He told her. "What happens next time? Huh? What happens when you can't stop them? What happens when I'm not there to help?" He moved to stand behind her. She felt him move and turned so they were face to face, just inches apart.

"What do you want me to say?" she yelled at him. "That I'm terrified of my 'abilities'? That every time I looked at Donna, I saw her blood as it stained my hands? That I'm afraid to sleep because when I close my eyes, I see the faces of my friends that _**I**_ let die? That every morning I look for the man I love and when I remember he's gone, I want to join them? That I hate myself because I'm alive and they're dead? Is that what you wanted to hear?" She screamed till she was horse.

Seeing that she was in the midst of a long overdue break down, he pulled her into his arms. At first she fought him. Beating her fists against his chest, but he just held her tighter. Finally she stopped fighting and let the sobs overcome her. When she had calmed a little, he began to talk in a low, soothing voice.

"I want to help you." He whispered as he held her. "I want you to let me in. I've been where you are. I know the way out."

Seeing she was still resisting, he tried a new approach.

_Help me help her. _He appealed to the TARDIS silently.

Picking up where her Time Lord had left off, the ship entered the grieving young woman's mind.

_Let Theta help you._

Lily winced at the wise voice in her head.

"I'll be fine." She said aloud.

_No you won't. _The time ship told her. _I see your pain. I see the way you haven't slept in three days because you're afraid to dream. I see your grief, my phoenix, and it kills me I can't help you. But he can. He knows what it feels like to lose everything, because he has. It took him many long years for him to come to the place where he could deal with his pain. You don't have that kind of time. With every passing hour, you become more volatile._ Lily felt what could only be described as a mental caress. _He can help you, love. Let him._

With that, the TARDIS pulled out and let her decide for herself.

Lily finally pulled out of the Doctor's embrace and walked to the piano. She rested her hand on it and stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she turned and looked him straight in the eye.

"Where do we start?"

*************************************************************************************

The Doctor spent the next few hours showing Lily how to organize her mind, that way, she could deal with one memory at a time. Then they began going through some of the less painful ones. Only time would really take the way pain, but, till now, Lily had never even had the option of grieving, the war had taken everything. So as she remembered, he held her as she cried for the life and love she had lost. Finally they reached the point where she was just too tired to continue.

As he walked her to her bedroom, she paused.

"This won't change what I see when I close my eyes." She told him. "It's one thing to say it wasn't my fault. It's another to actually believe it."

_I can help there_ the TARDIS said in her mind. _I can block the images, giving you a dreamless sleep. It isn't a permanent solution, but you need to sleep, my phoenix._

"Thank you." She said, fatigue ringing with every word.

They reached her door and she turned and slipped her arms around the Doctor.

"And thank you." She said, holding him tightly.

He returned the embrace. "If you need anything, come find me. Don't hesitate to ask."

She pulled away and looked up at his face. "There is one thing."

"You name it."

She looked down. "Can we go see Jack?" she asked softly. Seeing the reluctance in his face, she plowed on. "I know it's hard for you to be around him, given what was done to him. It was hard for my Doctor too, but of all the people from this reality and mine, the most likely to believe me, besides you, is him."

He saw how bright her eyes were. "Please. I need to see him."

He reluctantly nodded and she hugged him tightly.

"Come on." He told her, opening the door. "Time to sleep. We'll worry about rouge Time Agents tomorrow."

She smiled and entered her room, and with a last goodbye, shut her door. She got changed and lay down, and for the first time in days, fell asleep.

A/N: So that's what was wrong with Lily. A cosmically powerful being with PTSD. There is no way that ends well. Next chapter, it's off to see Jack. Originally I was going to go straight to Smith and Jones, but I love Jack and I want to be able to do crossovers with Torchwood. Plus I want to see what happens when Lily tells Jack he was married to Gwen. I know this was kind of short, but last chapter was so huge, I couldn't handle another huge one. Forgive me. Also REVIEW!

Abbey


	16. Torchwood Revisited

Disclaimer: I guess this chapter means I going to have to admit I don't own Torchwood either. Curse you damn copyright laws!

Ch.16:

Ianto Jones was bored.

Usually Torchwood was a very interesting place to work, but for the past week there had been no rift activity, no weevils to track down. What he wouldn't do for a small alien invasion. So he was slightly surprised when, as he was playing solitaire to stave off on coming boredom induced madness, a young woman with long black hair and the strangest eyes accompanied by a tall man in a pinstriped suit walked into the store front disguise of Torchwood 3. As they walked up, he heard them whispering to each other.

"I don't see why we couldn't just land inside." The man wanted to know.

She gave him a nasty look. "Because I'm already going to give him at least one heart attack today. I don't want to have to wait for him to come back more times than I have to."

The woman walked up to him and leaned against the counter. When she realized her companion wasn't going to say anything, she turned and jabbed him in the stomach.

"Fine." He said, glaring at her. He turned to Ianto. "We'd like to see Jack Harkness, please."

To say Ianto was surprised would be an understatement. Ianto was not surprised. He flabbergasted.

"I..um…I-ah." Suddenly the wall opened and out ran Jack with a back pack attached to his back.

"Ianto, I'm gonna have to leave." He said quickly, not noticing the couple. When Ianto tried to point them out, Jack ignored him. "I know it's sudden. And no I don't know when I'll be back-What is it Ianto?" He turned and saw what Ianto was pointing at.

The Doctor waved cheerily while Lily just looked as if she'd seen a ghost. Which, granted, was kinda what she was seeing.

"Who are you?" Jack asked.

"Hiya Capitan Jack." The Doctor said.

Jack looked like he'd be hit by a frying pan.

"Doctor?"

*************************************************************************************

"Yep." The Doctor said. He was here for Lily's sake, and for Lily's sake he was trying to hide his discomfort, but it was hard and some was leaking through.

"You've look different.." Jack stated.

"Yeah."

Jack looked just as uncomfortable as the Doctor.

"Just how did you know it was me?" the Doctor wanted to know.

Jack looked, if anything, more uncomfortable. "I have a… um…Doctor-detector."

"A what?!" the Doctor asked, but Jack had moved on.

"You abandoned me." He told him. There was no accusation, just a statement of fact.

"Did I?" the Doctor said nonchalantly. "Busy life. Move on."

Jack let it pass. "Just gotta ask," he said. "I saw the lists of the dead at Canary Warf. I saw Rose's name…" he trailed off.

"Oh no!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Sorry! She's alive."

Jack sighed in relief. "You're kidding!"

"Parallel world, safe and sound. And Mickey! And her Mother!" the Doctor told him.

Jack's face broke into a large grin. "Oh yes!" He grabbed the Doctor in a hug.

Suddenly a sob broke through their joy.

"Oh god, Lily!" The Doctor said, rushing to her side.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I thought it'd be easier."

He pulled her to him and held her tightly.

"Doctor?" Jack asked softly, looking very confused.

"Jack, there's a lot we have to talk about. A lot we have to explain. But right now, I need to get Lily some place safe where she can calm down, and it needs to happen now." The Doctor told him seriously.

Jack nodded and led them down to the Hub, motioning for Ianto to close up and follow them.

A few minutes later, they found themselves sitting on the couch, Lily curled into the Doctor's side. Jack and his team sat around them on any kind of chair they could find. Lily was still crying when Ianto came and set a cup of tea on the table in front of her and took a seat next to Jack.

Seeing the cup, Lily chuckled weakly. "Ah, Ianto Jones's cure all. Tea." She sat up and picked up and drank a sip. "Still as good as I remember." She set the cup back down.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Have we met before? I'm pretty sure I'd remember you."

She shook her head. "You don't know me, but I know you. I know all of you." She shuttered and the Doctor turned her to look at him.

"Flashbacks?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "But they're not so bad this time. At least I'm not trapped." She smiled weakly. "I'm still in control." She assured him.

He nodded.

"Doctor I don't mean to rush you, but what's going on?" Jack said, but Gwen interrupted.

"Better question, who the hell are you?" she demanded.

The Doctor looked at Jack sharply. "Haven't you told them what you are?"

Jack looked away guiltily. "How was I supposed to?" he wanted to know. "How when I don't even know what I am?" He glared at the Doctor. "You just left me there. The year 200,100 and you just left me, covered in Dalek dust. No explanation. No see you later. You were just gone." It was the Doctor's turn to look away.

"I couldn't look at you." He whispered. "You're wrong, Jack. I can't help it. My first instinct, the instinct of a Time Lord, was to run away."

They didn't seem to notice the strange looks all of Torchwood 3 seemed to be giving them.

"So you're prejudice?" Jack asked , astonished.

The Doctor let out a startled laugh. "You know, I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah." Jack said as if he knew he'd won a victory, but wasn't sure what it was.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked. "The last thing I remember was facing down three Daleks." He chuckled ironically. "Death by extermination. Then I came back. What happened?

"Rose." The Doctor answered simply. Lily slipped her hand into his, squeezing it gently.

"I thought you sent her home." Jack said.

"Yeah like that'd work." Lily said suddenly.

"I'm sorry, but who are?" Jack asked, curiously.

Lily looked uncomfortable, so the Doctor answered for her. "It's probably better if we take this in order. And to answer your question, she came back." Pride shone in his face as he talked of what she'd done. "She opened the heart of the TARDIS. She took in the power of the Vortex."

"What does that mean exactly?"

The Doctor glanced at Lily. "No one's ever mean to have that power. If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god, a vengeful god. But she was human." He said. "Everything she did was so human. She brought you back to life but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever. That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life." Lily looked down and bit back tears. The Doctor was the one to squeeze her hand this time. She looked at him and smiled sadly.

"Can she change me back?" Jack asked hopefully.

Lily was the one to answer him. "No. She wasn't in control. Even if she wasn't trapped in a parallel world, the power is too massive for a normal human to control. If she tried, it'd kill her."

"She's stuck?" Jack asked the Doctor sadly.

"Yeah." He answered just as sadly.

"I'm sorry." The immortal told him. "I went back to her estate, in the 90's, just once or twice. Watched her grow up." He shook his head. "Never said hello. Timelines and all that."

The Doctor looked at him curiously. "Do you want to die, Jack?"

Everyone seemed very interested in the answer to this question.

When Jack didn't answer, the Doctor leaned over and put his hand on his arm. "Jack?"

Jack looked back at him. "I thought I did." He said softly. "I dunno. But then I met this lot. They don't want to admit it, but they need me." He grinned at his team. "It's nice to be needed."

"Ah yes, speaking of that." The Doctor said, suddenly stern. "What do you think you're doing, working for Torchwood?" he demanded. "They're the reason I lost Rose." He said softly. "Come to think of it, Torchwood was set up as a defense against me, so why haven't you arrested me?"

Jack looked offended that he would even suggest that. "That was Torchwood 1. When I took over here, I made sure that this was a Torchwood you would be proud of. I did it in your honor and later Rose's."

The Doctor looked at him for a long time and then he nodded.

"I guess the rest of the story begins at Canary Warf then." He finally said. He told them everything. He told them about his goodbye to Rose, and Lily's arrival shortly after. He told them where Lily was from, but left the details for her to tell. Finally he concluded with a shortened version of their adventure with Donna.

They sat in stunned silence.

"You're from an alternate reality." Ianto said as if that explained something. His team mates stared at him. "What? That's what she meant when she said she knew us. She knew us there."

His team mates nodded and went back to looking at the Doctor and Lily.

Lily took a deep breath. "He's right. I knew you all." She said. "Next to Donna and a young doctor named Martha, Gwen Cooper, later Harkness, was my best girl friend. Owen Harper was like my annoying little brother. His girlfriend Toshiko Sato was the person I went to when I needed someone to talk to. Ianto Jones was the man who made sure I was taken care of and my favorite shopping partner." She took another deep breath and launched into her story. She told them how her parents, her real parents smuggled her out of Gallifrey. She took a moment to, with the help of the Doctor, explain who the Time Lords were and about the Time War. She told them how she grew up in America on her Earth and how she met Torchwood 3. Then she began her stories of her time with the Doctor.

"Then came the game station." She told them looking at Jack. "My Doctor sent me home, just like this Doctor sent Rose home. And I came back, just like Rose did. The only difference is as much as I look human and my body seems human, I'm not. The moment I took in the Vortex, it started to change me. I didn't become a vengeful god, as the Doctor put it, because I had too much humanity, but I could control it to some extent because of the Time Lord in me. But the moment I arrived was the moment Jack died. That, coupled with the terror of seeing my Doctor at the mercy of the Daleks was too much. I lost control. And that was the moment it all went to hell." She stood and moved away. "I brought Jack back, but I wasn't in control, so I made the same mistake Rose did. I brought him back for good. I tried to destroy them. I really did, but I was trying to regain control at the same time. Maybe if I had just let go, things would have been different, but instead the Doctor got me out as fast as he could. I was unconscious for three days. When I finally recovered enough to walk, the first thing I did was find Jack in the present. It was then I realized exactly what I had done to the man I consider closer than a blood brother." She turned back to them and they saw the tears pouring down her cheeks. "Believe me when I say I am so very sorry for what was done to you."

Jack stood and wrapped the young woman in a tight hug. She just sobbed into his jacket and for a second let herself believe she was back home. But then she pulled away and continued her story. She explained how the Daleks she hadn't managed to destroy made their way back in time. She told them about the war. She told each one how they died in her reality without really going in to details. The only happy memory she told them was of Jack and Gwen's wedding, only to realize they weren't together here. Soon she finished her story with her Doctor sending her through the crack and arriving in this reality.

They sat in silence, while an exhausted Lily allowed herself to be wrapped in the Doctor's embrace.

"I'm sorry." Gwen finally said. "I'm so sorry for what you've lost." The rest of Torchwood was nodding. "No one deserves to go through half what you've been through." She moved over to the couch and sat next to Lily. "I know we can't replace the people you've lost, and I know I only speak for myself, but if you need anything, anything at all, you should know that we'll be here to help. And maybe," she laid a hand on Lily's knee, "one day, you'll have a new family." Lily started to cry again, and Gwen pulled her into a tight hug, hushing the broken woman. The Doctor caught her eye over Lily's head and mouthed a thank you to which she nodded.

"Gwen doesn't just speak for herself." Jack said wrapping both women in a hug. "You do have a family, if you want it, for as long as you want it, right here."

Lily pulled away and nodded. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and smiled. "Thank you. I hope you don't mind, but right now I need to be alone. I need to get a firmer grasp on my control and I don't think you want me to do that here." The Doctor started to rise, but she shook her head. "I'm fine. Stay here. I'll just be right outside." She smiled. "I promise to try and not blow up Cardiff."

With that she walked out, leaving a somber group behind her.

*************************************************************************************

Jack found her on the pier. She was sitting, just staring up at the stars. She didn't even move when he sat next to her.

"Hey Jack." She said, not even glancing at him.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked.

She kept looking up. "I can feel you, just like the Doctor does. The only differences are the fact that I'm used to it and I also recognize you as being made by someone like me." She finally looked at him. "It's like knowing something was made by a human versus a Martian. It just feels different."

"Oh." He said. He couldn't think of anything else to say so he just sat and looked at the stars with her.

"I used to come here when I was upset." She said suddenly. "Usually when the Doctor and I had a fight while on Earth. I would sit here and stare at the stars till Jack would come find me and sit with me till I felt like talking. Then he would listen to what I had to say, then he'd tell me to suck it up." She laughed softly.

He looked at her. "You really loved him didn't you?"

"More than words could ever express." She replied without hesitation.

"But you said, that me and Gwen…"

She laughed. "Jack was my brother, my best friend, and my protector. The Doctor was all those things too, but he got the honor of being my lover." Jack laughed at her way of putting it. "No Gwen was your wife. She was your soulmate."

"There was more to her death than you said wasn't there." He stated.

Lily sighed. "She and Owen did die when the Hub was bombed in the first wave, what I left out was how we found them." She turned to him. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"

He thought about it for a minute and then nodded, so she continued.

"We made it back just minutes after the bombing was done, but there was nothing Martha could do for either of them. Owen was already dead and Gwen…half of Gwen was just… gone. We don't know how she was even still alive. Martha swore she must have been holding on just to see Jack, because she shouldn't have been alive, but she was. He ran to her and held her in his arms. I'll never forget it. He never once lied to her saying it was going to be ok or anything like that. He just held her and told her how much he loved her. He held her until she was gone."

They sat in silence.

"Thank you." He told her wrapping an arm around her. They sat there like that for over an hour, saying nothing else.

Finally he stood and held out his hand.

"Time to go back."

She nodded and walked back to the Hub, never letting go of his hand.

A/N: Oh. My. God. That was ridiculously hard work. Next chapter is Smith and Jones part 1. I have nothing else to say. Oh no, wait, I do. Review.

Abbey


	17. Smith & Jones: What a Morning

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. I'm just taking him out for a night on the town. I promise to have him home by morning. Also I should probably say that the beginning of this chapter is taken straight from the episode, with little to no variation.

Ch.17:

Martha Jones was walking down the street when her phone rang. She looked at the display and groaned.

"You're up early! What's happening?" she said as she picked up the phone.

"It's a nightmare," her sister told her. "because Dad won't listen, and I'm telling you, Mum is going mental. Swear to God, Martha, this is epic. You've got to get in there and stop him."

"How do I do that?" Martha wanted to know.

"Tell Dad he can't bring her!" Tish said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The call waiting went off._ "_Hold on, that's Leo. I'll call you back." She told her sister.

Her brother started before she even had a chance to say hello._  
_

"Martha, If Mum and Dad start to kick off, tell them I don't even want a party. I didn't even ask for one. They can always give me the money instead."**  
**

"Yeah, but why do I have to tell them? Why can't you?" she asked. She looked at her phone as her call waiting went off. Again._  
_

"Hold on, that's Mum. I'll call you back." She told him and switched calls without waiting for a response.

"I don't mind your father making a fool of himself in private," her mother started in immediately. Seriously, did no one in this family know the word hello? "but this is Leo's 21st, everyone is going to be there, and the entire family is going to look ridiculous."

"Mum, it's a party, I can't stop Dad from bringing his girlfriend." She told her. Once again, her call waiting went off._  
_

"Hold on, that's Dad, I'll call you back."_  
_

"Martha?" It wasn't hello, but he was doing marginally better than the rest of the family. "Now, tell your mother, Leo is my son, and I'm paying for half that party. I'm entitled to bring who I like."

Martha sighed. "I know, but think what it's going to look like for Mum, if you're standing there with Annalise." She told him.

"What's wrong with Annalise?" he asked.

"Is that Martha?" Martha heard over the phone. "Say hi. Hi, Martha, hi!"

"Hi, Annalise." Martha replied, all fake cheeriness.

"Big kiss, lots of love, see you at the party, Babe." She heard Annalise say._ "_Now take me shopping, big boy." Martha had to force herself to not throw up on the street.

Suddenly a man in a pinstriped suit walked up to her and removed his tie.

"Like so!" he told her, showing her his tie. "See?" He then walked away. He was soon joined by a black haired woman, who seemed to find the whole thing hilarious. Before they were too far away, she heard the woman tell the strange man, "You're such a child!" Then they disappeared into the crowd.

She managed to make it all the way to the hospital with no more calls from her family. The only hitch was the giant moron who ran into her on the way in, but she came out unscathed, so she forgot about it. She opened her locker and got ready for her shift. She put on her lab coat and went to shut the door, when she got shocked. She shook her hand, and then tried the door again. Nothing happened, so she shut it and went on her way.

Her rounds with the other residents started out boring.

"I was all right till this morning," their first patient told them, "and then, I don't know, I woke up and I felt all dizzy again. It was worse than when I came in."

"Pulse is slightly thready." Mr. Stoker told them. "Well, let's see what Britain's finest might suggest. Any ideas, Moregenstern?"

Moregenstern scrambled for an answer. "Dizziness can be a sign of early onset diabetes." He finally came up with.

"Hardly early onset, if you'll forgive me, Miss Finnegan." Mr. Stoker scoff. "Any more ideas? Swales?"

"Um... could recommend a CT scan." Swales suggested.

"And spend all our money." Stoker replied. "Jones?"

"We could take bloods and check for Meniere's disease." Was Martha's suggestion.

"Or we could simply ask the patient." Stoker told them. "What did you have for dinner last night?" he asked her.

"I had salad." She told him.

"And the night before?"

"Salad, again." She replied.

"And salad every night for the past week, contrary to my instructions." He told her. He addressed the rest of them. "Salt deficiency, that's what. Simple, honest salt." They followed him across the lobby as he droned on.** "**Hippocrates himself expounded on the virtues of salt. Recommended the inhalation of steam from sea water. Though no doubt if he'd been afflicted with my students, results might have been rather more colorful."

When they reached the next bed, Martha found the man who this morning had taken his tie off for her.

"Now then, Mr. Smith, a very good morning to you. How are you today?" Stoker asked, but before Smith could answer, the black haired woman burst in. She did not look happy.

"What do you think you're doing?" she yelled at him. "I go away for one afternoon. ONE AFTERNOON, and I come back and get a message via Jack. 'I'm in the hospital, but don't worry. I'll be back tomorrow'! Are you kidding me?!"

"Lily…"

She just ignored him and kept going. "Seriously are you out of your mind? All I did was going shopping with Gwen and Ianto and I come back to find you gone, Jack freaking out because he's got a weevil on the loose, and the Hub in chaos. So can you please explain to me what the hell is going on?!"

She glared at him.

"Can I speak now?" he asked.

She just kept glaring at him. He swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, but Mr. Stoker beat him to it.

"Now see here, young lady. This is a hospital, and you will conduct yourself appropriately, or you will be asked to leave."

The woman, Lily, turned her glare on him and he took a step back. The woman had the oddest eyes. Gray with flecks of gold. Finally she closed her eyes and seemed to visibly bring herself under control.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I was just worried when our friend told me my boyfriend here was in the hospital. I do apologize for my outburst."

Mr. Smith smiled, but faltered when she glared at him again.

"Do not for a second think that you are not still in trouble." She growled at him.

He looked at her strangely. "Are you aware that your speech pattern gets strange when you're mad?"

She growled and took a step towards him, stopping short and changing directions to sit in the chair next to his bed. Anger seemed to roll off her in waves and the interns gave her a wide berth.

Stoker cleared his throat. "As I was saying, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Aw, you know. Not so bad, still, you know, a bit blah." He told him.

Martha heard Lily mutter.

"You're feeling blah now, just wait till we get home. You're gonna wish you felt blah."

Martha smiled to herself.

"John Smith, admitted yesterday with severe abdominal pains. Jones, why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me." Stoker said.

Martha didn't miss the panicked look Lily shot John when she pulled out her stethoscope.

"That wasn't very clever, running around outside, was it?" she asked softly.

He looked genuinely confused. He shot Lily a look. Martha glanced at her and saw that she was staring at Martha with a sick look.

Smith looked back at her.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"On Chancery Street this morning." She told him, confused. "You came up to me and took your tie off." How could he not remember?

"Really?" he asked, seeming just as confused as her. "What did I do that for?" He looked back at Lily, who now had her eyes closed and her head tilted back.

"I don't know." Martha told him. "You just did."

"Not me." He replied. "I was here. Just ask the nurses."

Now she was really confused. "Well that's weird. Cause it looked like you." She studied him closely. "You haven't got a twin brother, do you?" she asked.

"No, not anymore." He told her. "Just me."

Suddenly, Martha was brought back to reality by Mr. Stoker.

"As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Jones." He told her.

"Right. Sorry." She muttered. She put her stethoscope to his chest, and her face quickly took on a puzzled look. She lifted the stethoscope and put it on the other side and listened. She wasn't crazy! There were two heart beats! She looked up at him and he winked.

"I weep for future generations. Are you having trouble locating the heart, Miss Jones?" he asked.

She grasped for the first thing she could think of.

"Um…I don't know. Stomach cramps?"

Mr. Stoker looked at her.

"That is a symptom, not a diagnosis." He told her. "And you rather failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patient's chart." He went to pick it up and received a nasty shock.

"That happened to me this morning." She told him.

Morgenstern agreed with her. "I had the same thing on the door handle."

"And me, on the lift." Swales told them.

Martha saw Lily suddenly sit up, while Mr. Smith gave her a satisfied smile. She just glared at him again.

"That's only to be expected." Stoker assured them. "There's a thunderstorm moving in and lightning is a form of static electricity, as was first proven by - anyone?"

Seeing no one was going to answer, Smith jumped in.

"Benjamin Franklin." He answered, looking smug.

"Correct!" Mr. Stoker told him.

"My mate Ben, that was a day and a half. I got rope burns off that kite, and then I got soaked and then I got electro-ow!"

The man obviously would have kept going if a hand hadn't reached over and smacked him upside the head. Lily got to look smug while Smith grumbled and rubbed his head.

"Quite." Stoker said moving away. "I think perhaps a visit from psychiatric." He said softly. And then louder, "And next we have…"

And they were alone.

A/N: There you go guys. First installment of Smith and Jones. Enjoy.

Abbey


	18. Smith & Jones: What Happens on the Moon

Disclaimer: So if I got on top of a building and started shouting to the world that I own Doctor Who, do you think anyone would believe me? No. So why does anyone believe that if I'm writing fanfiction, I must own Doctor Who? Are there really people stupid enough to believe that? Cause I want to meet them.

Ch.18:

The Doctor and Lily sat in silence. Lily had never been this angry at him, so he decided his best course of action was to just sit quietly and let her calm down. That had been a half an hour ago, and they were still sitting there with Lily refusing to talk to him and The Doctor afraid to talk to her. Finally, she said something.

"You are so freaking lucky, you know that right?"

He looked at her in confusion.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "You had to choose the only hospital in the city where Martha Jones works?"

"What?"

"That woman?" she asked him. "The one who realized you have-" she lowered her voice, "two hearts?"

"That was Martha Jones?" he asked, surprised. "As in Martha Jones, you're friend from…back home…, that Martha Jones?"

She gave him a condescending look. "No, the other Martha Jones. Of course that Martha Jones! What do you think?"

She was yelling again. She took a moment to calm down again, and then continued.

"You're incredibly lucky it was her that listened to your hearts." She told him softly. "Martha hates a mystery, so she won't tell anyone until she's figured it out." She sighed. "You could have picked any other hospital to try this little experiment or whatever this is, but no, you choose the one most likely to give me a breakdown."

She seemed to be talking to herself and not him now. She trailed off and stared through the window, not really seeing anything. He leaned over and took her hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

She looked down at their hands and back up at his face. Finally she nodded.

"Yeah, it was just a shock." She told him. "It wasn't as bad as Donna, but it was harder than Jack and the rest of the team. I was at least ready for them. Martha just caught me by surprise."

He nodded.

"Why didn't you just call me?" she continued. "What was so all fired important that you had to check yourself into a human hospital and risk exposure?"

He got really excited. "I was in the TARDIS, when I started getting these really strange readings from London. So I thought, I'll just pop in, have a look around. When I got here, I found plasma coils connected to the hospital. Isn't that weird?" Seeing that she was glaring at him again, he decided to move on. "So I decided to check myself in and see what was going on."

"And it never occurred to you to call your companion who, while not being exactly human, at least, for the moment, has human physiology?" she asked him in a deadly calm voice.

He cringed. "You know you did that weird thing with your speech pattern again."

"DOCTOR!" she shouted.

"SHHH!" he said quickly. People were giving them strange looks. "This is a hospital, remember? Shout for a doctor and you'll get one."

She glared at him and sat back down.

They sat in silence again. Finally he asked "What did you mean by telling them you're my girlfriend."

She didn't bother looking at him. "If I say I'm your girlfriend, they won't kick me out when visiting hours are over, you moron." She looked at him, still glaring. "Would you have rather I said I was your wife?"

"Um…no…girlfriend's fine." He told her weakly.

She grumbled something about idiotic Time Lords and they went back to sitting in silence. When he couldn't stand it anymore, he asked, "How did you get here?"

"I had Jack lend me a Torchwood car." She told him. "Which reminds me, I need to call him and tell he doesn't need to break you out of some government facility. And we also need to return his car before we leave."

They went back to silence. What was strange was, the longer they sat there, the less Lily seemed to calm down. If anything she was getting more upset.

"Lily," the Doctor said quietly. "What's really wrong?"

She wouldn't look at him.

"Lily."

Finally she turned to face him and he saw tears on her cheeks.

"I was scared." She told him. "It didn't matter that you said you were fine. All I heard was your name in conjunction with hospital and all I could think was that another of the people I cared about was hurt."

He pulled her to him, motioning for her to lie on the bed next to him. She climbed on top of the covers and let him hold her.

"I'm sorry." He said. "It never occurred to me that you would think that."

"It doesn't matter." She said softly.

"Yes it does." He told her. "Sometimes I forget we've only been together a few weeks. I forget what you've gone through."

"I forget it's only been a few weeks too." She said. "And then something happens and I remember and then it terrifies me to realize just how dependent I've become on you. If something were to happen…"

He hushed her. "Nothing's going to happen."

They just sat there, until he realized she had dozed off. He gently pulled away and got up and put on a dressing gown. A little exploring couldn't hurt.

*************************************************************************************

Martha was currently in the doctor's kitchen talking to her sister.

"No, listen," she was saying, "I've worked out a plan. We tell Annalise that the buffet tonight is one hundred per cent carbohydrate, and she won't turn up."

"I wish you'd take this seriously. That's our inheritance she's spending." Tish replied. "On a fake tan. Tell you what, I'm not that far away, I'll drop by for a sandwich and we can draw up a plan."

Martha looked out at the pouring rain. "In this weather? I'm not going out, it's pouring down."

"It's not raining here." Tish told her. "That's weird. It's sitting right on top of you, I can see it, but it's dry where I am."

"Well, you just got lucky." Martha told her, not really paying attention.

"No, but it's like in cartoons, you know, when a man's got a cloud over his head." Tish continued, but Martha moved on.

"But listen, I tell you what we'll do."

Martha glanced out and saw Mr. Smith walk by. He gave her a strange look but continued on.

"We tell Dad and Annalise to get there early, at about 7:30, for Leo to do his birthday stuff. We tell Mum to come about 8:30 or nine, and that gives me time to have a word with Annalise, and—"

Suddenly Swales pointed to the window.

"What?" Martha asked, glancing at the window.

"The rain."

Martha gave a sigh. "It's only rain."

Suddenly Tish called through the phone. "Martha! Have you seen the rain?"

"Why's everyone fussing about rain?" Martha asked, moving to the window.

"It's going up." Swales said at the same moment Tish said "The rain is going up."

Martha looked out the window. The rain _was_ going up. At that moment everything began to shake. Martha and Swales were thrown to the ground. They tried to shield themselves as the contents of the cupboards flew at them. They just as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

"What the hell was that?" Martha asked as she stood back up.

"Are you all right?" Swales asked, also standing.

"I think so, yeah." Martha told her. "It felt like an earthquake, or –"

"Martha?" Swales interrupted. "It's night. It was lunchtime."

"It's not night." Martha told her slowly. She moved to the window.

"It's got to be. It's dark." Swales replied, following her to the window.

"We're on the moon." Martha said. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"We can't be." Swales told her, denying what was in front of her.

Martha just ignored her. "We're on the moon. We're on the bloody moon."

Martha ran out, Swales close behind. The corridors were chaos.

"Have you seen-" Mrs. Finnegan tried to ask her, but Martha just kept going.

"I'm sorry." She said as she passed. "I can't."

Martha entered the ward where Mr. Smith was to find him being shouted at again by Lily.

"I only dozed off for a second, and you manage to get us transported to the moon?!" She ignored his protests that it wasn't him. "And now I've got to call Jack and tell him we're stuck on the moon!"

Martha moved to the window, helping people back up as she went.

"All right, everyone back to bed, we've got an emergency but we'll sort it out." She told them calmly. She vaguely registered that Lily had stopped yelling. She glanced over and found them watching her.

She finally reached the window and looked out over the view.

"It's real." She whispered. "It's really real. Hold on." She reached for the latch only to be stopped by Swales.

"Don't!" she sobbed. "We'll lose all the air."

"But they're not exactly air tight." Martha told her calmly. "If the air was going to get sucked out it would have happened straight away, but it didn't. So how come?"

She heard the curtains around Mr. Smith's bed pull back. She turned to find him fully dressed in a blue pinstriped suit and trainers. Lily still looked annoyed as she pulled a short black leather jacket over her black t-shirt and jeans. Smith glanced at her and stopped short.

"Where did you get that jacket?" he asked.

She looked at him. "I told you. I went shopping with Gwen and Ianto."

"But you don't have any money."

She sighed. "If you paid attention, you would have heard Jack tell me that when I'm here, he pays for everything. You also would have heard me argue with him for roughly an hour and then you would have seen him shove a credit card in my hand and heard him tell me that he had more money than he knew what to do with and that if I didn't take the damn thing and go shopping, he was going to lock me up with the weevils and he was going to do it for me."

Smith looked really confused. "When did this happen?"

"Last night."

"Where was I?"

"Messing with the pterodactyl."

He laughed to himself. "Oh right."

He caught sight of Martha. "Right back on track." They moved over to the window. "You had a very good point." He told Martha. "Brilliant, in fact. What was your name?" he asked.

"As if you didn't know." Martha heard Lily mutter, but filed it away for later. Something about this couple was very strange.

"Martha." She told him.

"And it was Jones, wasn't it?" She nodded. "Well then, Martha Jones, the question is, how are we still breathing?"

"We can't be!" Swales wailed.

"Obviously we are so don't waste my time." He told her and then turned back. "Martha, what have we got? Is there a balcony on this floor, or a veranda, or...?"

"By the patient's lounge, yeah."

He grinned. "Fancy going out?"

She grinned back. "Ok."

"We might die." Lily told her, a smile beginning to form.

"We might not." Martha countered.

"Good! C'mon." he said, clapping his hands together. "Not her," he said, pointing at Swales. "She'd hold us up."

As they were leaving, Lily said, "You're being rude again."

"I know."

"Oh well, as long as you know, that makes it all alright." Lily grumbled, following him out.

When they reached the balcony, Mr. Smith pushed the doors open.

"We've got air!" Martha exclaimed. "How does that work?"

"Just be glad it does." Lily told her, as they moved out.

"I've got a party tonight." She told them. "It's my brother's twenty-first. My mother's going to be really ... really…"

"You ok?" Mr. Smith asked her.

"Yeah" she said weakly.

"Sure?" It was Lily asking this time.

"Yeah." She said again, stronger this time.

"Want to go back in?" Smith asked her.

"No way. I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same - it's beautiful." She looked around in wonder.

"You think?" Smith asked, exchanging a smile with Lily.

"How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are!" She told them.

"Standing in the Earthlight." Lily responded.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

Smith looked at her, while Lily moved to lean on the railing.

"What do you think?" he asked Martha.

She thought about it for a moment, then answered.

"Extraterrestrial. It's got to be. I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days? That spaceship flying into Big Ben - Christmas - those Cybermen things." She paused. "I had a cousin. Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home." She told them.

"I'm sorry." Smith said softly, looking away.

"Yeah."

"I was there." He told her. "In the battle."

Lily moved over so she was standing next to him. She took his hand and he smiled down at her.

"I promise you, Mr Smith, we will find a way out." She told them. "If we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way."

"It's not Smith." He told her. "That's not my real name."

She looked at him in confusion. "Who are you then?"

"I'm the Doctor." He told her. Lily elbowed him. "Oh and this is Lily Carter."

"I'm a doctor too, if I can ever pass my exams." She told him. "What is it, then, Doctor Smith?"

"Just the Doctor."

"How do you mean, just the Doctor?" she asked.

"He means just that." Lily told her.

"What people call you 'the Doctor'?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah." He told her.

"Well, I'm not." She told him. "As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title."

Lily laughed at the stunned look on his face. "I could have told you that would happen."

He snapped out of it. "Well, I'd better make a start, then. Let's have a look." He picked up a pebble and threw it. Suddenly a greenish wall appeared. "There must be some sort of force field keeping the air in."

"If that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we've got. What happens when it runs out?" Martha asked.

"How many people in this hospital?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know, a thousand?" she told him.

"One thousand people. Suffocating." He replied simply.

"I'm gonna kill you." Lily told him suddenly. "If I die here, I'm gonna kill you."

"If you die here, I'll probably die here too, you realize." He replied.

"Don't get cute with me. I survived a war. I didn't do that so you could get me killed in a hospital on the moon!" she yelled at him.

"Well, you're the one with the special powers; can you do anything to fix this?" he asked.

She glared at him. "I'm thinking." She moved back to the edge of the balcony. "I don't have the power to move us back." She told him. "Not without losing control, and then who knows what would happen."

"What about air supply?"

She looked around. "I could probably change CO2 to oxygen at the atomic level, but not enough to keep us alive indefinitely, just about 15 minutes worth probably. And even then, it'll take a lot out of me, I won't be good for anything else."

The Doctor nodded. "Let's keep that in reserve for now."

Lily nodded.

"What's going on?" Martha asked. "Who would do this?"

"Heads up." Lily called. They moved to stand next to her.

"Why don't you ask them yourself?" The Doctor said.

Far below them, three massive ships were landing.

"Aliens. That's aliens. Real, proper aliens." Martha babbled.

The Doctor nodded. "Judoon." He told her.

Lily turned and glared at him.

"I really hate you."

A/N: Second installment, there you go. Have fun.

Abbey


	19. Smith & Jones: What Remains the Same

Discaimer: If you haven't got it by now, then you never will.

Ch.19:

The Doctor, Lily and Martha had taken up a spot on the second floor of the lobby and were waiting for the Judoon to enter.

The Doctor looked over the railing. "Oh you've got a little shop. I like a little shop."

Lily patted his arm. "That's nice Doctor." She told him patronizingly.

They sat in silence.

"Oh!" Lily said suddenly. "I found out what Jack's "Doctor-detector" is!"

The Doctor looked at her. "What?"

She grinned. "You're never gonna believe this." She told him. "He's got your hand in a jar."

The Doctor sat in stunned silence. "He's got what?"

"Your hand. In a jar." She repeated. "The one that got cut off. Apparently, the whole thing bubbles when this version of you comes near."

"He's got my hand in a jar." The Doctor repeated, uncomprehending.

"Yep" she replied, laughing. "See my question is: You told me your hand fell from the Sycorax's ship down to the middle of London, so how the hell did Jack find it?"

"He's got my hand. In a jar."

She laughed at him. "Yes Doctor, he's got your hand. In a jar." He just looked so shocked. "Seriously though, how did he find a hand in the middle of London?"

"I have no idea." He told her.

"Hang on." Martha interrupted. "You've got both of your hands."

"I got one cut off last Christmas, but due to extenuating circumstances I was able to re-grow it." He told her, still staring at Lily, who was laughing her head off.

"You re-grew a hand." She said.

"Yep."

"And now some guy named Jack has it in a jar."

"Yeah."

She just shook her head. "You two get weirder by the minute."

"You think we're bad now, give us a little while, cause here come the Judoon." Lily told her.

Sure enough, the doors were opening and in came the Judoon. The leader took off his helmet and Martha gasped when she saw the rhino like head underneath. They watched as one of Martha's fellow interns tried to greet the leader only to be forced to a wall.

"So what are the Judoon?" Martha wanted to know.

"Galactic police." The Doctor told her.

"More like galactic thugs. They work for the highest bidder." Lily interrupted. "What?" she asked when the Doctor gave her a strange look. He just shook his head.

"And they brought us to the moon?" Martha asked.

"Neutral territory." He told her. "According to galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, so they isolated us. That rain? Lightning? That was them, using an H2O scoop."

"What's that about 'galactic law'? Where'd you get that from?" she asked. "If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?"

He looked at her and smiled.

Lily leaned over. "I told you she was smart." She told him with a smug smile.

"Yes you did." He turned back to Martha. "No." he told her, answering her question. "But I like that. Good thinking. No, it's more simple. They're making a catalogue. Which means they're after something non-human." He looked at Lily.

"Which means we've got problems." She finished for him. They ignored Martha for a minute.

"I know what they're gonna find with you, but what about me?" Lily asked. "Am I gonna register as human?"

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and ran a scan. Checking the results, he looked at her.

"How far in can you pull the vortex part of you?" he asked. "How far can you suppress it?"

"Why, is it showing up?"

He nodded. "The chameleon arch made you human, so by all rights, you shouldn't have a problem, but whatever the vortex did to you, it's making you register not as non-human, but more like…human plus."

"Human plus?" she repeated. When he nodded she scowled. "Never call me that again." She sighed and closed her eyes. She sat there for a few seconds and then opened her eyes. "That's about as good as I can do." She told him.

He ran the scan again. "All good. You're showing up as human." He looked at her. "How long can you keep that up?"

"Let's just put it this way," she told him. "This better not take long."

He nodded and they turned back to Martha who was staring at them.

"You've got to be joking." She said. They stared at her. "Stop looking at me like that." She told them.

The Doctor stood and helped Lily to her feet.

"Come on, then" he said and they took off.

*************************************************************************************

They reached an office with a computer that the Doctor could use to search for…whatever it was the Judoon were looking for. Lily and The Doctor went in while Martha went to go check the progress of the Judoon. The Doctor sat and began to work while Lily wandered to the window.

"Is she the same?" The Doctor asked Lily suddenly.

Without turning, Lily said "In some ways. In others she's completely different." She sighed. "In my world she was…I don't know…she was more open. Of course I met her under different circumstances." She turned and leaned against the window sill. "When the Doctor and I were first together, we had a…scare." She wouldn't look at him. "I insisted on going to a doctor on Earth. I went to a hospital, and Martha was the doctor who looked at me. She was so kind and she helped me calm down and she told me there was nothing to worry about." She smiled sadly. "Of course, nothing involving the Doctor ever goes smoothly. We ran into some trouble with a plasmavore stealing blood from patients while posing as an orderly. Martha helped us out. It was clear that she was more than just a doctor, so we invited her to come with us."

"So there was nothing to the…" the Doctor started hesitantly, then trailed off.

"I wouldn't say that." She said softly. "I was hurt in the first wave. I was seven months pregnant at the time. There was nothing Martha could do. I lost my daughter, and the damage was so extensive, I could never have children again."

The Doctor moved to her side and wrapped his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." he told her.

"So many people were lost, but she was the worse in a lot of ways." Lily closed her eyes. "My baby girl. She was innocent. And I couldn't defend her."

"It wasn't your fault." He told her.

"I know it wasn't." she said softly. "But it doesn't stop me from blaming myself."

They stood there for a minute, then Lily pulled away.

"Come on, skinny boy." She said. "We've got work to do."

*************************************************************************************

A few minutes later, The Doctor was back working on the computer and Lily was looking for hard copy files. Martha came back and told them the Judoon had reached the third floor.

When she spotted the sonic screwdriver, she asked, "What's that thing?"

"Sonic Screwdriver." He told her, not looking up.

"Well if you're not going to answer me properly." She said.

"No, it really is." He said, not seeming to understand why she didn't believe him. "It's a screwdriver and it's sonic." He held it up, "See?"

"What else have you got?" she asked. "A Laser spanner?"

"No." He replied, sullenly. "She broke it." He pointed accusingly at Lily who held up her hands defensively.

"Hey, if you don't want me to sit on it, don't leave it on the jump seat!"

The Doctor glared at her, and then he went back to the computer. He grew more annoyed as the seconds passed until he finally hit it in a moment of peak frustration.

"I've told you that doesn't work." Lily told him a sing song voice, that he studiously ignored.

"Oh, this computer!" he said. "The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon. Cause I was just travelling past, I swear, I was just wandering," he started to ramble ("NO YOU WEREN'T!" Lily screeched. "YOU TOLD ME SO!") . "I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, I wasn't, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightning, that's plasma coils, been building up for two days now, so I checked in, I thought something was going on inside, but it turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above."

"But what were they looking for?" Martha asked.

"Something that looks human, but isn't." he told her.

"Like you two. Apparently." She said with a smile.

"Hey!" Lily protested. "Technically I am human!"

"You just got done telling me the other day how you were technically a Time Lord." The Doctor told her, amused. "Like us. But not us." He told Martha.

"Haven't they got a picture?" Lily asked.

"Might be a shape changer." He responded.

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?" Martha wanted to know.

"If they declare the hospital guilty of harbouring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution." He told her.

"All of us?" Martha asked, horrified.

"And now we come to why I find the Judoon so annoying." Lily said.

"Oh yes. If I can find this thing first..." he said messing with the computer some more. "Oh! Just that they're thick! Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever." He ran a hand through his already very messed up hair.

"What are we looking for?" Lily asked, looking over his shoulder. She began absentmindedly trying to flatten his hair.

" I don't know. Any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms." He told them. He grabbed the computer and started looking at it more closely. "Maybe there's a back-up."

Martha moved to the door. "Just keep working." She told them. "I'll go ask Mr Stoker, he might know."

And with that she left.

Lily looked at the Doctor.

"You're never gonna find anything, you know that right?" she told him.

"Shut up."

*************************************************************************************

The Doctor managed to restore the back up, so he and Lily took off at a run to find Martha.

They quite literally ran into her in the corridor.

"I've restored the backup." He told her quickly.

"I've found her." She replied, out of breath.

"You what?" Lily asked.

"Never mind that." The Doctor said, spotting the motorcyclist. "Run!"

They ran down the hall and into the stairs. On the way down they saw the Judoon coming up.

"Maybe not that way." Lily said, but when they turned, they saw the motorcyclist coming down.

"This way." The Doctor said, directing them to the fourth floor. They ran down the corridor and the Doctor lead them into a room marked x-ray and shut the door.

"You two, when I say 'now', press the button." He told them, moving to the large machine in the middle of the room.

"Good idea." Lily said sarcastically. "Mind telling us which button that is, oh wise one?"

"Find out!" he told her. They turned when the motorcyclist began to break the door. Lily and Martha ran into the side room and started trying to figure it out.

"Now!" The Doctor yelled as the door finally broke.

"Fine!" Lily yelled back, deciding to pick the biggest button and slammed her hand down. They looked away from the bright light.

The thing fell down.

"What did you do?" Martha asked, shocked.

"Increased the radiation by five thousand percent." He said. "Killed him dead."

"Isn't that likely to kill you?" she asked. Lily snorted.

"Nah, it's only radiation." He replied. "We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It's safe for you to come out, I've absorbed it all. All I need to do is expel it." He started bouncing and hopping around. _"_If I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot. It's in my left shoe. Here we go, here we go, easy does it..." he started shaking he foot. _"_Out, out, out, out, out. Out, out, ah, ah, ah, ah. It is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Ah - hold on." He took his shoe off and threw it in the trash. "Done."

He stood there very proudly till Lily burst out laughing.

"You gonna wander around with just one shoe on?" she asked through her laughter.

"You're completely mad. Both of you." Martha told them.

"You're right." He said. "I look daft with only one shoe." The insane smug look came back. "Barefoot on the moon."

"So what is this thing?" Martha asked. Lily moved to stand beside the Doctor. "And where's it from? The planet Zovirax?"

"It's just a Slab. They're called 'Slabs'. Basic slave drones, see? Solid leather, all the way through." He told her.

"That is one hell of a fetish." Lily commented.

"It came with that woman, Mrs. Finnegan. It was working for her. Just like a servant." Martha told them, but the Doctor had seen the remains of his screwdriver.

"My screwdriver."

Lily came up and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"It's alright." She told him soothingly.

"She was one of the patients, but-" Martha told them.

"My sonic screwdriver." The Doctor moaned.

"I know." Lily told him.

"She had a straw like some kind of vampire." Martha continued.

"I loved my sonic screwdriver."

"It's gonna be ok." Lily said, rubbing his back.

"Doctor!" Martha yelled.

Both he and Lily started.

"Sorry." He said. He smiled. "You called me Doctor."

Martha gaped and then moved on. "Anyway! Miss Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mr. Stoker's blood."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Lily moaned.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"Just take a minute. You'll get there."

The Doctor stared at her. "Ok fine." He walked away. "Funny time to take a snack. You'd think she'd be hiding. Unless - no. Yes, that's it, wait a minute. Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it!"

Lily smiled. "There you go."

"If she can assimilate Mr Stoker's blood, mimic the morphology, she can register as human." He said. "We've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!"

And off they went.

A/N: So Lily lost a child. The hits just keep on coming. Feedback please.

Abbey


	20. Smith & Jones: What I Did Today

Disclaimer: The only Doctor Who I own is on DVD and even those don't work properly.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. had a minor meltdown that resulted in me not being able to upload anything.

Ch.20:

The Doctor, Lily, and Martha ran down a corridor until they spotted another Slab coming at them, so they ducked behind a large plant.

"That's the thing about Slabs," the Doctor told them. "they always travel in pairs."

"What about you two?" Martha asked.

"What about us?" Lily asked, tracking the progress of the Slab.

"Haven't you got back up or something?" she asked. "What about that guy, Jack, you were talking about earlier?"

The Doctor gave her a look of vast superiority. "Humans," he said. "We're stuck on the moon, running out of air, with Judoon and a bloodsucking criminal, and you're asking personal questions." He stood up, helping Lily and then Martha to their feet. "Come on."

"I like that. "Humans."" She said as he moved away. "I'm still not convinced you're an alien."

"Oh trust me." Lily told her. "Sometimes he's about as alien as they come."

They turned a corner and came face to face with a Judoon, who shined the scanner right in the Doctor's face.

"Non-Human"

Martha stared at the Doctor in shock. "Oh my god, you really are."

"And again!" the Doctor shouted as they took off.

They ran down the corridor, with Judoon shooting at them and ducked into a stair well and headed down.

"They've done this floor." He told them. "Come on. The Judoon are logical and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've checked already. If we're lucky."

"Since when are we lucky?" Lily wanted to know. "You know what I'd really like? Just one trip where no one shoots at me. Just one."

"Maybe next time." He told her and moved off.

"Yeah right. And right after that, Jack and I are gonna get married and have lots of immortal children." Lily muttered, following after him.

As they walked down the hall, they spotted Swales. Martha stopped and kneeled down next to her.

"How much oxygen do we have?" she asked the other intern.

"Not enough." She replied. "Not for all these people. We're gonna run out."

"How are you feeling?" The Doctor asked her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm running on adrenaline." She told him.

Lily smiled. "Welcome to our world."

The Doctor turned his attention to her. "How about you? "

She briefly considered lying to him, but knew he'd see through it.

"It's getting harder to suppress the vortex." She told him. "Right now I'm using the overflow to keep me going so I don't need as much oxygen, but you better give me a safe outlet soon, or being on the moon without any air is going to be the least of our problems."

"If you used the power to change CO2 to oxygen, would that be enough of an outlet?"

She nodded. "More than enough. Releasing that much power, routing it through what is still, essentially, a human body is going to be hard on me." She looked at him seriously. "We're gonna need to time it just right, cause I'm not gonna be moving, unless you carry me, after."

He nodded.

"What about the Judoon?" Martha asked.

"Ah, great big lung reserves, it won't slow them down." He told her, looking around. "Where's Mr Stoker's office?" he asked.

"It's this way." She told him, leading the way.

When they turned the corner, he made her let him take the lead, with Lily keeping watch from behind.

"She's gone!" Martha exclaimed as they entered. Lily checked to make sure they weren't followed and shut the door. "She was here!" Martha told them.

"Drained him dry." The Doctor said, kneeling to examine him. "I was right. She's a plasmavore."

"Excuse me?" Lily said dryly. "Who was right?"

"Ok, you were right. Doesn't change the fact she's a plasmavore." He told her.

"Also doesn't change the fact that that is extremely weird." Lily countered.

The Doctor nodded and went back to examining Mr. Stoker.

"But what's she doing on Earth?" Martha asked.

"Hiding. On the run." He told her. "Like Ronald Biggs in Rio de Janeiro." He paused. "What's she doing now? She's still not safe. The Judoon could execute us all." He stood and moved to the door. "Come on."

"Hold on." Martha told him, moving next to Mr. Stoker's body. Kneeling, she leaned over and closed his eyes, then she got up and followed the Doctor and Lily out.

They walked down the hall as the Doctor tried to figure out what the plasmavore was doing. Sparing a glance at Lily, he noticed she was starting to look worse. The strain of suppressing her powers was starting to get to her.

"Think, think, think." He said, pushing his worries out of his mind. The fastest way to fix them was to get them back to Earth. "If I was a plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do?" he asked, talking to himself. They past a door marked MRI and he stopped. Looking at it, he smiled. "Aah. She's as clever as me. Almost."

Suddenly the doors at the end of the corridor burst open and Judoon spilled through.

The Doctor turned to Lily and Martha.

"Lily, I need time." He told her quickly. "I need you two to hold them off."

"Yeah, but it's gonna have to be Martha." She told him just as quickly. "We can't risk them scanning me too closely."

"I know." He said. He gave her a long look and she nodded.

"Just do it." She said. "I'll explain it to her."

"Thank you." He said, resting his hand on her cheek. She grabbed it and squeezed it tightly and quickly. He moved to Martha.

"Martha forgive me for this." He told her. "It's to save a thousand lives, it means nothing." He grabbed her face. "Honestly nothing." And with that he kissed her and ran off.

Martha stood there in shock. "That was nothing?" she asked.

"Yes. It was." Lily said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Martha said sheepishly. "I mean he's your boyfriend-"

Lily cut her off. "No he's not. But he recently lost the woman he loves, just like I lost the man I love. When he says it means nothing, he means it means nothing." She grabbed the other woman's arm and made her look at her. "Promise me you won't read anything into it." See the woman hesitate, she repeated "Promise me!"

Martha nodded and Lily let go.

"Now we get to deal with Judoon."

The Judoon walked slowly to where Lily and Martha were blocking their path. The leader looked at the rest of the Judoon with him.

"Find the non-human. Execute."

Martha immediately started to try to stall them, while Lily tried to focus on pulling her powers even further in.

"Now, listen." Martha said. "I know who you're looking for. She's this woman. She calls herself Florence."

The Judoon ignored her and scanned her.

"Human. With non-human traits suspected. Non-human element confirmed. Authorize full scan. What are you? What are you?"

Martha looked totally confused. Lily, on the other hand, looked vastly relieved when the Judoon scanned her and marked her as human. Now they just had to buy the Doctor as much time as possible.

The Judoon forced Martha to a wall to continue scanning her. Finally they managed to isolate the foreign DNA.

" Confirmed: human. Traces of facial contact with non-human. Continue the search."

He handed Martha a plastic card.

"What's this for?" she asked, looking down at it.

"Compensation."

Martha and Lily followed them down the hall and into the MRI Room. Lily was leaning on Martha at this point. When they entered and saw the Doctor on the ground, Martha began demanding that the Judoon check Mrs. Flannigan.

Lily on the other hand was more interested in what the MRI machine was doing. Whatever it was, all that electricity couldn't be a good thing. She slid down the wall, desperately hoping she could keep control until the Doctor could stop it.

Martha finally grabbed the Judoon's scanner and turned it on Mrs. Flannigan.

"Non-human." The Judoon declared.

"What?" Mrs. Flannigan screeched.

"He gave his life so they'd find you." Martha realized

The Judoon declared that she was a plasmavore and charged her with the murder of the princess of Patrival Regency Nine. She didn't even deny it, she just ordered her remaining slab to attack, but the Judoon vaporized it. She ducked into the protected side room and completed whatever she had done to the MRI machine, sending it into overload. Lily knew, if the Doctor didn't wake up soon, she was going to have to do something, but she didn't know what.

Martha and Lily watched as the Judoon vaporized the plasmavore.

Martha crawled to the Doctor's side.

"Lily!" she called "What did she mean "burn with me"? The scanner shouldn't be doing that. She's done something to it."

"I know." Lily called weakly back.

The Judoon walked over to look at the scanner.

"Scans detect lethal acceleration of monomagnetic pulse."

"Well do something!" Martha yelled at him. "Stop it!"

"Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate."

"You can't just leave it!" Martha told them. "What's it going to do?"

"All units withdraw."

And with that, they left.

"You can't go. That thing's going to explode and it's all your fault." Martha called after them.

"Martha!" Lily said sharply. "Don't worry about that. Just get the Doctor up. Let him worry about the scanner, and let me worry about our air supply."

Martha began to give the Doctor CPR. Lily watched her for a second then called over.

"Martha!"

She turned and looked at her. "What?"

"He's got two hearts."

Martha looked back at the Doctor and nodded.

Lily closed her eyes, positive the Doctor was in good hands. The air supply was getting dangerously low. She reached inside herself, to the wall she had quickly constructed to keep her powers at bay. She sank into herself and simply, let go.

A bright golden light rolled away from her, fresh oxygen following behind. Martha quickly took a breath and continued giving the Doctor CPR.

Suddenly he sat up and Martha told him "She did something to the Scanner."

He nodded and jumped up. He could tell that the little bit of air Lily had managed to make before she lost consciousness was quickly running out. He motioned for Martha to check on Lily and slowly made his way to the control room. He located two plugs, one red and one blue, and made the decision to pull the red one and was rewarded when the scanner shut down. He made his way back to Lily and Martha.

"Her pulse is very low." Martha told him weakly. The air was getting thinner again. The Doctor nodded and reached down to wrap Lily's arms around his neck, picking her up easily.

Martha followed him, stumbling, as he carried Lily down the hall way. They noticed most people seemed to be unconscious or close to it. They made their way to the window and watched at the Judoon ships took off.

"Come on, come on, come on." He whispered as Martha sat down heavily on a bed. "Come on, Judoon, reverse it." As it began to rain, he smiled._ "_It's raining, Martha." He told her, turning to find her unconscious. He turned back and looked down at Lily in his arms. "It's raining on the moon, Lily girl. Wish you could see it."

There was a bright, white flash, and they were gone.

*************************************************************************************

Martha sat outside the hospital while EMTs check every one out. She heard someone call "Martha!" and looked up to see Tish running towards her. She grabbed her in a hug and started babbling.

"Oh, God! I thought you were dead! What happened? It was so weird, because the police wouldn't say, they didn't have a clue. And I tried phoning, but I couldn't get through. Mum's on her way, but she couldn't get through, they've closed off all the roads…"

While her sister kept talking, Martha looked over Tish's shoulder to see the Doctor walk away, still carrying Lily in his arms. When he spotted her, he smiled and nodded. A truck passed between them and when it passed, both he and Lily were gone.

Later that night, while she was getting ready for her brother's party, Martha had the news on. Of course the only thing anyone wanted to talk about was what happened at the hospital.

"Eyewitness reports from the Royal Hope Hospital continue to pour in," a reporter was saying. "and it all seems to be remarkably consistent. This from medical student Oliver Moregenstern."

"I was there." Moregenstern proclaimed. "I saw it happen. And I feel uniquely privileged. I looked out at the surface of the moon. I saw the Earth, suspended in space, and it all just proves Mr Saxon right. We're not alone in the universe. There's life out there: wild and extraordinary life."

Martha smiled.

*************************************************************************************

They had all been right. The party was a disaster.

"I am not staying in there to be insulted!" Annalise shouted, storming out.

"She didn't mean it, sweetheart." Clive said, following her. "She just said you look healthy."

"No, I did not." Francine said, also following them outside. "I said orange."

Annalise rounded on Clive. "Clive, that woman is disrespecting me. She's never liked me."

"Oh, I can't think why, after you stole my husband." Francine said sarcasticly.

"I was seduced." Annalise shouted, offended. "I'm entirely innocent! Tell her, Clive!"

"And then she has a go at Martha, practically accused her of making the whole thing up." Francine shouted right back

"Mum, I don't mind. Just leave it." Martha said, coming outside, still trying to keep the peace.

Annalise just ignored her. "Oh. "I've been to the moon!" As if. They were drugged. It said so on the news."

"Since when did you watch the news?" Francine asked with distain. "You can't handle "Quiz Mania".

"Annalise started it." Tish said to her sister. "She did. I heard her."

"Trish, don't make it worse." Leo told her

"You're talking, Leo." Tish replied. "What did she buy you, soap? A seventy-five pence soap?"

"Oh, I'm never talking to your family again!" Annalise shouted, storming away.

After that everyone started to talk at once and then started to storm away, leaving Martha alone. She looked across the street and saw the Doctor standing in the entrance to an alley. He smiled and walked off, so Martha quickly followed.

She found him standing in front of a blue box with Lily leaning against it.

"I went to the moon today." She said simply as she walked up.

"A bit more peaceful than down here." Lily said with a laugh.

"You never even told me who you are." She told them.

"The Doctor." "Lily Carter." They answered simply.

"What sort of species?" she asked, and then she laughed. "It's not every day I get to ask that."

"I'm a Time Lord." The Doctor told her.

"Right!" she said, laughing. "Not pompous at all!"

She looked at Lily when she hesitated.

"What? It's complicated." She told her defensively. "Do you want the original answer, the second answer, or the really complicated answer?"

Martha shook her head. "Any of them, all of them." She told her.

"The original answer is I'm a Time Lord, like him." She told her, seriously. "The second answer is my parents took me and turned me into a human to hide me. And the really complicated answer is I'm not even sure. I took in a power to save the man I loved and it changed me. I'm no longer fully human, and I'm not sure I can ever go back to being fully Time Lord."

Martha stared at her. "I take it back. I think I was happier not knowing."

Lily smiled. "I think I was happier not knowing too, so at least you're not alone."

Martha laughed at that.

"We just thought since you saved our lives and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might fancy a trip." The Doctor told her with a smile.

"What, in space?" she asked.

"Well…" he trailed off.

"I can't." she told him. "I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad..."

"If it helps, we can travel in time as well." Lily told her with a smile.

"Get out of here." She said.

"I can!" The Doctor looked at Lily. "Why does no one ever believe I can travel in time?" Lily just smiled and laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"Come on, now, that's going too far." Martha told him.

"I'll prove it." The Doctor told her, ushering Lily into the TARDIS.

Martha watched as the box disappeared. She walked to where it was, then backed up when she heard it coming back.

The Doctor walked out with his tie in his hand and Lily following behind with an indulgent smile.

"See?" he asked, holding up the tie. "Told you!"

"Child." Lily said, obviously amused. He just hushed her.

"I know, but..." She gasped. "That was this morning! But - Did you... Oh, my God! You can travel in time!"

Lily just laughed as the Doctor put his tie back on.

"But hold on, if you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go in to work?" she asked.

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden." He told her seriously.

"Except for cheap tricks." Lily continued, just as serious.

Martha looked at the TARDIS. "And that's your spaceship?"

The Doctor nodded. "It's called the TARDIS." He told her. "Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Your spaceship's made of wood." She said. "And there's not much space. It' be kinda intimate."

"Hey!" Lily scolded. "No knocking the TARDIS." She ran her hand over the door. "She's sensitive."

Martha ignored her, purely because she had no idea what she was talking about.

The Doctor pushed open the doors and stood back.

"Take a look."

Martha walked slowly through the doors and they quickly back through them.

"Oh, no, no, no." she said as she ran back out. She stood staring at it. "But it's just a box. But it's huge. How does it do that? It's wood." She said, knocking on the side. She walked back inside. "It's like a box with that room just rammed in." She paused and smiled. "It's bigger on the inside." She said, not noticing the Doctor and Lily mouthing the words along with her.

"Is it?" the Doctor asked as Lily walked past Martha, laughing all the way. "I hadn't noticed." He shut the doors and threw his coat over a column. "Alright, let's get going!" he said as he joined Lily at the counsel.

"But is there a crew? Like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?" Martha asked.

"Just me." The Doctor told her.

"All on your own." She said. "But what about Lily?" she asked.

"Lily's a special case." He said.

"And if you stick around long enough, I'll tell you about it." Lily told her.

"Other times, I have guests." He continued. "I mean some friends, travelling alongside. I had - there was recently a friend of mine. Rose, her name was, Rose. And... we were together. Anyway."

Martha watched as Lily moved over and grabbed the Doctor's hand. He looked down at her and smiled softly.

"Where is she now?" Martha asked.

The Doctor seemed to recover some of his composure.

"With her family." He told her. "Happy. She's fine. Not that you're replacing her." He said, pointing at Martha.

"Never said I was." Martha said, immediately going on the defense.

"Just one trip to say 'thanks', you get one trip, then back home." He told her. "I'd rather be on my own."

"Is Lily leaving?" she asked shrewdly.

The Doctor glared at her. "I told you, Lily is a special case. She's not a guest."

"What the Doctor is explaining so badly is, this ship, she's a part of me and I'm a part of her. The power I took in?" she asked, waiting for Martha to nodded her understanding, "It was the raw power of the Time Vortex, the power a TARDIS runs on. It changed my biology so I could handle it, so I could channel it. But it made it so I'm connected to the TARDIS. Which makes this the only home I have."

Martha nodded. She looked at the Doctor slyly. "You still kissed me."

Lily groaned and the Doctor now was defensive.

"That was a genetic transfer." He told her.

"And if you will wear a tight suit…"

"Stop." Lily told her seriously.

Martha realized she was about to step over a line obviously and tried to back track.

"Just for the record," she told him. "I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans." She ignored the look Lily was giving her. She was sure she didn't believe her for a second. The Doctor, on the other hand, decided to move on.

"Good." He said. "Well, then. Lily, close down the gravitic anomalizer. Fire up helmic regulator. And finally-" he reached down and pulled down a lever. "The hand brake." He grinned. "Ready?"

"No."

"Off we go!"

They were all thrown off their feet.

"Blimey, it's a bit bumpy!" Martha yelled, holding on for dear life.

Lily just laughed as the Doctor held out his hand.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Jones."

Martha grabbed his hand. "It's my pleasure, Mr. Smith!"

"Lets have some fun!" Lily called.

And off the went.

A/N: And Smith and Jones is done. Let me know what you think.

Abbey


	21. Beginning to Let Go

Disclaimer: If you believe that I own Doctor Who, then I have a very lovely villa in the south of France that I'd like to sell you.

Ch.21:

The Doctor, Lily and Martha had been thrown around the TARDIS for the last few minutes when a fuse blew and everything shut down.

"Are we there?" Martha asked curiously.

"No." Lily answered as the Doctor started muttering and whacking things. "We're in the vortex." She smiled at Martha. "You might want to get comfortable, this could take awhile." The two women moved over to the jump seat and watched as the Doctor tried to fix his beloved ship, his frustration mounting with every passing minute. As they watched the Doctor go to town on the counsel with his mallet, Martha turned to Lily.

"Aren't you afraid that that's going to break?" Martha asked, pointing to the counsel the Doctor was currently beating the crap out of.

"During moments of peak frustration." Lily replied, her smile betraying the serious voice she used. "But it's always held up. That counsel's a game-day player."

The Doctor rounded on her.

"You talk to her!" he shouted. "She's being contrary and going on about how I should be nicer to people. I can't deal with this." He turned back around and muttered loud enough for them to hear. "This never would have happened if Rose were still here."

Lily saw to flash of hurt across Martha's face and decided enough was enough. She had noticed that the Doctor was getting more irritable as days went by, but this was the last straw. Being snippy and sarcastic to her and the TARDIS was one thing, but Martha wasn't prepared for it.

Lily got up and pulled Martha with her to the door way.

"Girl, can you show Martha to the kitchen?" She asked the TARDIS. She watched as the TARDIS rearranged the corridors so the kitchen was right down the hall from the control room, and then she turned to Martha. "Can you give the Doctor and me a moment?" she asked. "You can eat anything you find in the kitchen, except for the bananas and the cantaloupe." She smiled and gave Martha an encouraging nod and watched till Martha reached the kitchen and the door shut. Then she rounded on the Doctor.

"What's wrong?" she asked, all traces of humor gone.

"Nothing's wrong." He spat at her. "Everyone is conspiring against me, that's all."

"No one is conspiring against you, Doctor. So let's try this again, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He repeated.

"Ok, fine." She said moving next to him while he studiously ignored her. "Then tell me why you just deliberately tried to hurt the TARDIS and me, not to mention Martha, who isn't used to your crap and doesn't know that you don't really mean it."

He didn't answer her. She sighed and grabbed the hand that was quickly moving and stilled it.

"Let go of me." He said, trying to pull out of her grasp, but she was much stronger than she looked.

"I meant it when I said I forget it's only been a few weeks." She told him quietly. "I also forget I'm not the only one who lost someone." He refused to look at her. "I will never be able to repay you for what you've done for me. You took me in, gave me a home, and took care of me while I was a wreak. You are still taking care of me." She made him look at her. "But now it's time for you to let me take care of you for awhile." She said softly.

"I don't need you to." He told her trying to end the discussion.

But Lily wouldn't let him. "Yes you do." She told him. "You're in pain, and if you don't let me help you, it's going to eat you up inside." She smiled at him. "You once told me you knew where I was because you had been there and that you knew the way out. Now let me show you the way."

He looked away, but not before she saw a tear roll down his face.

"Doctor…" she said softly.

"She gone." His voice broke. "She's really gone, and she's not coming back." He turned to face her, tears running down his face. "What am I supposed to do?"

Lily pulled him to her and held him as he cried for the woman he had loved and lost, tears filling her own eyes.

"You're supposed to remember that she's alive, with her family. You're supposed to remember the good times. You're supposed to let yourself mourn for her. You're supposed to grieve." She kept holding him, murmuring soothing words.

"God we're a pair." She told him when he had calmed. He chuckled and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thank you for not leaving me." He told her.

"For as long as you want me, I'm gonna be here." She told him softly. "I'm gonna be here to keep you grounded while you keep me together." She smiled at him. "Because, let's face it, I've got nowhere else to go. You're kinda stuck with me."

He laughed outright at her and they moved to try to figure out what was wrong with the TARDIS. Now that she had gotten her way though, she was willing to let him fix her while she and Lily made fun of him. When the last repair was done, Lily went and got Martha. If she noticed either Lily's or the Doctor's red eyes, she didn't mention it.

"Everything fixed?" She asked as she walked in.

The Doctor looked at Lily and smiled, and she returned it.

"Yeah, or it will be." He told her.

"Well let's go then!"

Lily and the Doctor laughed. He threw a switch and they were all thrown to the ground again.

"We have got to take a moment sometime," Lily yelled to him, "and teach you how to actually drive this thing!"

A/N: I know it's really short, but I wanted some sort of interlude that dealt with the Doctor's issues. Let me know what you think!

Abbey


	22. The Shakespeare Code: Ye Olde England

Disclaimer: I only own Doctor who every 32 day of the month.

Ch.22

The Doctor, Lily and Martha crashed into the floor as the TARDIS landed. The Doctor and Lily laid there laughing as Martha gingerly sat up.

"Blimey! Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha asked.

"Yes." The Doctor.

Lily butted in. "He failed." She just grinned when he glared at her.

"Now," he continued, "make the most of it." He grabbed Lily's and his coats and handed Lily hers while putting on his. "I promised you one trip and one trip only. Outside that door…" he and Lily stood at the door, "Brave new world."

"Where are we?" Martha asked.

"Take a look." Lily told her with a grin.

The Doctor opened the door. "After you."

Martha walked out of the TARDIS and into Elizabethan London.

" Oh, you are kidding me." She whispered. "You are _so_ kidding me. Oh, my God! We did it. We travelled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I gotta get used to this whole new language. When are we?" she asked.

Lily quickly pulled her back as a man called from above "Mind the loo!"

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet." The Doctor told her after she had recovered. "Sorry about that."

"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift at A&E." she told him. He and Lily started to walk off, but she hesitated. "But are we safe?" she asked. "I mean, can we move around and stuff?"

The Doctor gave her an odd look. "Of course we can. Why do you ask?"

"It's like in the films." She told him. "You step on a butterfly; you change the future of the human race."

The Doctor looked totally confused, while Lily just looked like she found the whole thing amusing.

"Well, tell you what then," he finally told her. "don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?" He shook his head and started walking again.

"What if I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather ?" she asked, catching up to them again.

The Doctor turned and gave Lily a look, and she held up her hand defensively.

"If she's a murderer, how is that my fault?" she asked him but he just kept looking at her. She turned to Martha.

"Look, are you planning on killing your grandfather?" she asked her.

"No."

"Good." She turned back to the Doctor. "Get off my back."

"This is London." Martha said, looking around.

"I think so." The Doctor answered. "Right around 1599."

"1595." Lily told him.

"How do you know that?" he asked, curious.

She grinned. "My spidey sense." She told him, and then laughed at his confused look. "My…gifts." She explained.

"You can tell what year it is? Exactly?" he asked.

"Yep." She told him, nodding. "To the exact date, no matter what."

"That's useful." He stated.

"Isn't it though?"

"Oh, but hold on." Martha said, worried. "I'm not gonna get carted off as a slave, am I?"

"Why would they do that?" The Doctor asked, bemused.

Martha and Lily shared an amused look. "Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed." Martha told him.

"We're not even human." He said pointing at himself and Lily. "Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me."

"Only part of the time." Lily muttered to Martha, who giggled.

" Besides, you'd be surprised." He continued on, not hearing Lily's comment. "Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there." He said pointing. "They've got recycling." They saw a man shoveling manure. "Water cooler moment." He told them, pointing out two men talking around a barrel. Suddenly a man walked by shouting, "…and the world will be consumed by flame!"

The Doctor turned and looked at them. "Global Warming. Oh, yes, and..." They turned a corner and were confronted with the sight of The Globe. "Entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses." He grinned at them. "The Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Through, strictly speaking, it's not a globe; it's a tetra decagon — 14 sides — containing the man himself." He stood there, obviously very proud of himself.

"Whoa, you don't mean-" Martha looked totally stunned. "Is Shakespeare in there?"

"Oh yes." He held out both his arms. "Miss Jones, Ms. Carter, will you accompany me to the theater?"

Martha linked her arm in his with a smile. "Yes, I will, Mr. Smith."

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare." He told her.

"And then I could get sectioned." She replied.

The Doctor looked at Lily, waiting for her to take his arm. She just looked at him.

"It's like women's rights never happened in that head of yours." She told him.

"Just take my arm." He ordered.

She sighed and grumbled but eventually linked his arm with hers.

And off they went.

"Did you just call me _Ms._ Carter?"

*************************************************************************************

Love's Labours Lost was amazing.

The smell was not.

"That was amazing!" Martha gushed. "It was even worth putting up with the smell for."

"No it wasn't." Lily complained. "Please promise me, the next time you get it in that twisted head of yours that we should go to the theater, you'll choose a time after indoor plumbing."

Martha and The Doctor just ignored her grumbling.

"And those are men dressed as women, yeah?" she asked the Doctor.

"London never changes." He told her with a smile.

"Must be why Jack loves it so much." Lily said to him with a smile.

"Where's Shakespeare?" Martha called. "I wanna see Shakespeare. Author! Author!" she started calling with a raised fist. She turned to Lily and the Doctor. "Do people shout that?" she asked. "Do they shout Author?"

"Isn't that the question you should have asked before you started shouting your head off?" Lily groused. They looked around as people took up the chant.

"Well…They do now." The Doctor said.

Suddenly the crowd went wild as the man himself came out on to the stage. When he walked out the roar of the crowd doubled, then tripled as he blew them a kiss.

"Jeez, I've been to tamer rock concerts." Lily shouted over the noise.

"He's a bit different from his portraits." Martha commented.

"Genius. He's a genius - THE genius." The Doctor practically gushed. "The most human Human that's ever been. Now we're gonna hear him speak." If anything, he got more excited. "Always, he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words."

"Fangirl much?" Lily whispered to Martha, who giggled and nodded.

"Shut your big fat mouths!" Shakespeare shouted.

Martha and Lily dissolved into laughter at the look of disappointment on the Doctor's face. When they finally recovered enough to speak, Martha eked out "You should-ha- never-ha ha ha…."

When she couldn't go on, Lily finished for her. "Meet your heroes." At this point, she and Martha were holding each other up. "My god, your face!"

"You have excellent taste! I'll give you that." Shakespeare continued. He suddenly pointed at a man in the audience and said, "Oh, that's wig!", causing them all to laugh again. "I know what you're all saying. 'Loves Labour's Lost', that's a funny ending, isn't it?" he said. "It just stops! Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah." He yelled over them when they started to complain. "All in good time. You don't rush a genius." He paused and kind of jerked, but the only ones to notice really were the Doctor and Lily, who exchanged a look.

"When?" Shakespeare suddenly yelled. "Tomorrow night." The crowd cheered as the actors looked around in confusion.

"Something isn't right here." Lily whispered to the Doctor, who nodded.

"The premiere of my brand new play." Shakespeare announced. "A sequel, no less, and I call it 'Love's Labour's Won'!" The crowd went nuts, including Martha. The only silent ones seemed to be the actors and The Doctor and Lily.

*************************************************************************************

As they waited for the crowd to move out, the three time travelers began discussing what had just happened.

"I'm not an expert," Martha said, "but I've never heard of Love's Labour's Won."

"That's cause it doesn't exist." Lily told her.

"Exactly-the lost play." The Doctor said. "It doesn't exist-only in rumor." He looked perplexed. "It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. No one knows why."

Martha got really excited. "Have you got a mini-disk or something? We could tape it. We can flog it. Sell it when we get home and make a mint."

The Doctor and Lily stared at her.

"No." the Doctor told her.

"That would be bad?" Martha asked.

"You think?" Lily asked her sarcastically.

"Well, how come it disappeared in the first place?" Martha wanted to know.

Lily and the Doctor exchanged a look. A whole conversation seemed to take place in a matter of seconds. Then the Doctor turned back to Martha, "Well, I was just gonna give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer." He told her with a smile.

Lily held out her hand and the Doctor grasped it.

"Shall we go see the bard?"

A/N: I know it's short but I've been struggling with it, so I figure, get it out and just start fresh. Tell me what you think.

Abbey


	23. The Shakespeare Code: Ye Olde Bard

Disclaimer: Ok so the BBC has stopped returning my phone calls, so what? My resolve has not weakened. If forced to, I shall lay siege, but I will not be deterred! *grabs a sword to go attack the BBC Wales but is stopped by airport security* What do you mean, I can't take my sword?

Ch.23

The three time travelers asked around and were pointed to a nearby inn.

"I'm warning you now," Lily told them as they headed in that direction, "if this place is called 'The Wandering Bard', I'm going straight back to the TARDIS and you two are on your own."

The Doctor just smiled at her, squeezing her hand. "Like you could resist a mystery this big." He replied. "A chance to find out what happened to one of the greatest playwrights' plays?" He gave her a patronizing look. "I don't think so."

"Shut up." She told him with a glare.

"Well you're in luck." Martha said as they walked up to the inn. "It's not the Wandering Bard." She pointed to the sign that said The Elephant Inn.

"Do you suppose the shmuck who named this had ever even seen an Elephant?" Lily asked sullenly.

"Come now," the Doctor bent down to whisper in her ear. "Be nice."

"But being bad is so much more fun." She told him with a sly smile.

He tapped her playfully on the nose. "Stop it." He told her grinning.

She grinned back. "If you insist."

They walked in and found the lower room bustling. They quickly made their way to the bar and asked the woman behind it to direct them to William Shakespeare. When she balked, the Doctor flashed his physic paper and she quickly changed her tune. As they made their way to the room she had indicated, Lily just had to ask.

"So who did you con her into believing you were?" she asked him.

"Hey I don't con anyone!" he claimed indignantly. "Jack's the one who does the conning."

"What do you call tricking someone into believing you're someone you're not?" she shot back smugly.

He glared at her. "I thought you were going to be nice." He said as they climbed the stairs.

"I changed my mind."

They made their way to the room and the Doctor knocked on the side.

"Hello!" he called. "Excuse me! I'm not interrupting am I? Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?"

" Oh no, no, no, no." He immediately started to protest. "Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove-" He suddenly spotted Martha as the Doctor walked in the room._ "_Hey, nonny nonny." He said with a lascivious smile. "Sit right down here next to me." He turned to the two men sitting with him._ "_You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go." The two men exchanged a look and got up quickly.

Martha gave the Doctor and Lily a look and went to sit in the chair across from Shakespeare.

"You know, dear sir, if I didn't love my friend so much, I might be insulted by your lack of courtesy." Lily told him as she passed the Doctor, taking a moment to grin up at him. He grinned back and moved to stand behind her as she sat gracefully in the chair next to Martha's. She winked at Martha while getting settled and Martha chuckled.

"I'm so sorry my dear lady." Shakespeare told Lily, oozing charm. "Forgive me, but only a fool would risk a goddess's wrath, and I seem to be in the presence of two." He smiled at her. "One must make allowances for my loss of wit. For what man could keep his head in the company of such fine ladies?"

Martha and Lily exchanged a look. Lily felt the Doctor's hand tighten on her shoulder and she looked up to see the strangest expression on his face. If she didn't know better, she might have mistaken it for a flash of jealousy. She reached up and grasped the hand on her shoulder and opened her mind to his.

_Are you alright?_ She asked him silently.

He looked down at her and smiled. _Of course. Why wouldn't I be?_ He asked.

She just shook her head and turned her attention back to Shakespeare.

"Such unusual clothes" he told them. "So…Fitted."

Martha smiled. "Um, verily, forsooth, egads." She said, trying to use what she thought was the lingo.

"No, no don't do that." The Doctor told her while Lily mouthed 'egads?'. Martha just shrugged and the Doctor decided that that would be a good time to butt in.

"I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS," he told Shakespeare, holding up the physic paper. "and these are my companions, Miss Martha Jones and…"

"Lady Lily Carter, also of TARDIS." Lily finished smugly. The Doctor gave her a look and asked silently, _Lady?_

_You and Rose were knighted by Queen Victoria, My Doctor and I were given titles by Queen Elizabeth I._ she told him in a superior tone. _Lord Doctor and Lady Lily of TARDIS._

The Doctor just shook his head.

They were both brought back to reality by Shakespeare's next comment.

"Interesting, that bit of paper." He said casually. "It's blank."

Lily and the Doctor stared at him in shock, while Martha looked at the paper confused.

"I take back everything I ever said about this time period." Lily said, grinning. "I absolutely love him."

"Oh that's…very clever." The Doctor said, his grin matching Lily's. "That proves it. Absolute genius."

Martha was still staring at the paper. "No, it says so right there." She said, pointing at the paper. "Sir Doctor, Lady Lily, and Martha Jones. It says so."

"Hey how come you're name comes first?" Lily whispered. "I'm a lady and you're just a knight. I should come first."

"Seriously, you want to quibble over who's name comes first?" he asked her, astonished. "Seriously?"

"I'm just saying." Lily grumbled.

"And I say the paper is blank." Shakespeare said, watching the two of them bicker with a smile.

" Psychic paper." The Doctor finally told Martha. "Um, long story." He grimaced. "Oh, I hate starting from scratch."

"Psychic." Shakespeare said, watching the Doctor put it away. "Never heard that before and words are my trade." He leaned back in the chair. "Who are you exactly? More's the point, who are your delicious blackmoore lady and your golden goddess?"

"Why did you call me a golden goddess?" Lily asked seriously before anyone could say anything.

He looked confused. "I just did. Why would it matter?"

She looked at the playwright strangely. "Because nothing about me is golden. Not my hair, nor my skin. So why would you call me golden?"

He stared at her. "I don't know." He looked even more confused. "I suppose you glow golden."

Lily leaned back, looking even more impressed. "Oh he is special." She said to the Doctor, her eyes never leaving Shakespeare. "He can see the aura the vortex gives off." She finally turned to face the Doctor. "Only two other people I've ever met could see it: Gwen Cooper and Jack Harkness. And even he couldn't see it till I brought him back."

The Doctor looked at Shakespeare, shocked. But before he could say anything, Shakespeare interrupted.

"Many of the words you use are so strange!" he said. "But you still haven't answered the question. We will leave the one about the goddess, but tell me, who is my black lady?"

"What did you say?" Martha asked shocked.

"Oops." He said with a grin. "Isn't that a word we use nowadays? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Africa..."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." Martha said with a hint of a blush.

"It's political correctness gone mad." Lily said dryly.

"Um, Martha's from a far-off land." The Doctor said quickly, before Lily could go off on political correctness. "Freedonia."

_Freedonia!? _Lily asked silently, laughing madly inside their heads.

_Shut up._ He told her, which only made her laugh harder.

"Excuse me!"

They turned to find a fat man standing in the doorway, looking quite irate.

"Hold hard a moment." He said entering the room. "This is abominable behaviour. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mr. Shakespeare." He actually puffed himself up. Lily couldn't believe he actually managed to do that. She had never actually seen someone do that. "As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed."

Shakespeare held up his hands.

"Tomorrow morning, first thing," he told him, "I'll send it 'round."

"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine." The man told Shakespeare, becoming, if at all possible, even more irate. "The script, now!"

"I can't." Shakespeare protested.

"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled." He told him.

"It's all going on round here, isn't it?" Lily whispered.

"I'm returning to my office for a banning order." The man said as he stalked to the door. "If it's the last thing I do, 'Love's Labours Won' will never be played."

"I'm so glad he didn't have a door to slam." Lily said blandly.

The bar maid brought them all drinks. Lily took one look at the ale, and pushed it as far from her as she could.

"Do you not care for spirits?" Shakespeare asked her.

"Not ale." She told him. "And even if I did, I've promised I won't drink." She said with a nod to the Doctor.

"Your accent is so strange." He said. "Do you also come from Freedonia?"

Lily laughed. "I suppose I do."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Well, then..." Martha said, "mystery solved. That's 'Love's Labours Won' over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know... more mysterious."

Suddenly a scream rang out.

The Doctor and Lily were up and running before Martha and Shakespeare could even register what was happening, but they quickly caught up. They made their way to the courtyard to find the man from earlier lying in the street.

" It's that Lynley bloke." Martha said.**  
**

"What's wrong with him?" The Doctor asked. "Leave it to men— I'm a doctor." He moved to the man's side.

"So am I –" Martha said, following closely. "Near enough."

"I guess that leaves me with crowd control." Lily said, taking up a place between the two of them and the people pushing forward.

The Doctor took off down the street, looking for what, they didn't know, while Martha checked the man's vitals.

"Gotta get the heart going." She muttered. "Mr Lynley, c'mon, can you hear me? You're gonna be all right." She bent over to perform c.p.r. just as the Doctor was returning. She got close to the man's mouth when suddenly water gushed from his mouth and Martha jumped back. "What the hell is that?" she asked.

"I've never seen a death like that." Lily said, coming to stand next to the Doctor and slipping her hand into his.

"His lungs are full of water —" the Doctor said quietly. "he drowned and then... I dunno, like a blow to the heart, an invisible blow." He turned to the lady of the inn." Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours." He told her. "A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away."

"Yes, sir." She said, turning quickly to do as he said, when a young maid came up and told her she would make sure it was done. She nodded and went back into the inn.

"And why are we telling them that?" Martha asked.

"This lot still have got one foot in the Dark Ages." The Doctor told her. "If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft."

"Okay, what was it then?" She asked.

The Doctor and Lily exchanged a dark look. Finally the Doctor finally turned and answered Martha.

"Witchcraft."

Lily groaned. "I'm going back to the TARDIS."

A/N: Second installment. Done and done. Updates will be slower cause classes have started, but I will try to get a least one out a week. We'll see how it goes. By now, you should know the drill. REVIEW!!! Thank you.

Abbey


	24. The Shakespeare Code: Ye Olde Magic

Ch.24:

Disclaimer: If I owned DW I would tie David Tennant up till he agreed to stay.

After the hustle had died down, the mistress of the inn came to find the trio.

"I got you a room, Sir Doctor. You, Lady Lily and Miss Jones are just across the landing. I'm sorry but we only have one room available, I hope that will be alright." She told them.

"I'm sure it will be just fine." The Doctor said immediately, slamming a hand over Lily's mouth. He waited while she walked away and then removed his hand.

"Was it really necessary to lick my hand?" he asked wiping his hand on her arm.

"Was it really necessary to try to suffocate me?" she asked, scowling.

"Is it really necessary for you two to act like children?" Martha asked. Lily just smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Yep."

Martha just shook her head.

"Poor Lynley." Shakespeare said sadly. "So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?" he said slyly to Martha.

"Where a woman can do what she likes." She replied smugly.

"Not a word." The Doctor said as Lily opened her mouth. She glared at him and shut it.

"And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old?" He asked, turning to face the Time Lord.

The Doctor gave him a carefree smile. "I do a lot of reading."

Shakespeare smiled in response. "A trite reply." He told him. "Yeah. That's what I'd do." He turned to Lily.

"You, who makes light of everything, you see the world as varying shades of pain." He told her. "You hope your jokes will hide the despair so deep you can barely function. And the fear which causes you to feel that if you lose sight of him for just a moment, he'll disappear."

"A natural reaction to having everything ripped from you." She told him darkly.

He nodded his agreement and turned to Martha. "And you, you look at them like you're surprised they exist. They're as much of a puzzle to you as they are to me."

Martha just looked at the Doctor and Lily nervously. "I think we should say goodnight." She told them.

Lily nodded. "Go on up." She told her. "We're right behind you."

With a final nod to the group, Martha made her way up.

"I must work. I have a play to complete." Shakespeare told them. "But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you and why this constant performance of yours."

The Doctor and Lily walked with him to the door.

_Why do I have a sudden, irrational fear of what you're about to say? _Lily asked the Doctor silently.

He just grinned at her and turned to Shakespeare and said, "All the world's a stage."

"Hmm," the playwright said, thoughtfully. "I might use that." He smiled, "Good night Doctor, Lady Lily."

They both smiled.

"Nighty-night, Shakespeare." The Doctor told him with a grin.

"Excuse him, he's a moron." Lily told him. "Good night, Shakespeare."

With that Shakespeare made his way out, turning only once to watch as Lily smacked the Doctor upside the head as they walked back in. Chuckling to himself, he made his way into the room and got down to work.

*************************************************************************************

"What was that for?" The Doctor whined as they made their way into the room.

" 'All the world's a stage'?" She asked, disbelieving. "Really?"

"What?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

She just stared at him. "Martha was right. You are a child."

He just stood there as she walked in the room. "Hey! She was talking about you too." He called after her and then followed her in.

They found Martha inspecting the small room they had been given.

"It's not exactly five-star, is it?" she asked them, still looking around.

The Doctor turned and stared at Lily.

"What?" she asked. "I didn't say anything."

"It's been less than a day, and already you're rubbing off on her." He told her.

"So let me get this straight." She said. "I'm not only going to get in trouble for what I say, but for what Martha says too?"

"Yes."

"Just checking."

He turned back to Martha. "It'll do." He told her. "I've seen worse."

"I've lived in worse." Lily said softly walking past him to the window. He stared after her for a moment, then went back to listening to Martha.

"I haven't even got a toothbrush." She was saying.

The Doctor reached into a pocket and pulled one out and handed it to her. "Contains Venusian spearmint." He told her.

"Got one with cinnamon in there?" Lily called. He reached back into his pocket, took one out and chucked it at her head. He smirked when she grabbed it out of the air and pulled it down to look at it.

"Thanks." She said.

"So, who's going where?" Martha asked. "I mean, there's only one bed."

The Doctor shrugged. "We'll manage." He told her. "Come on."

He flopped down on the bed.

"So, magic and stuff." She said, still standing off to the side. "That's a surprise. It's a little bit 'Harry Potter'." She gave a little laugh.

"Wait till you read Book Seven." He told her. "Oh, I cried."

"I will never forget that." Lily said with a laugh, moving to join them. "You, Jack, and Ianto. Sitting in the Hub, bawling your eyes out. Gwen and I haven't ever laughed that hard."

"But is it real, though?" Martha interrupted. "I mean, witches, black magic and all that, it's real?"

" 'Course it isn't." The Doctor told her, scoffing.

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" She asked, defensively. "I've only just started believing in time travel. Give me a break."

"Looks like witchcraft, but it isn't." he said, going into his own mind. "Can't be. Are you gonna stand there all night?" he asked, suddenly switching tracks.

Lily watched as Martha went and sat on the bed next to him. The Doctor looked up as he suddenly felt a flash of something across the link they had started in Shakespeare's office. It was less than a second, but it had felt almost like jealousy. He brushed it off, thinking he must have been mistaken. Just to be safe though, he shut down the link. Or he tried.

"Uh, Lily?" he asked. "Have you tried closing off the link?" he asked her hesitantly.

Martha gave them an odd look, but they ignored it.

"No, why?" she asked.

"Just try." He told her.

She closed her eyes. A few moments past as her face got more and more scrunched up. Suddenly her eyes popped open.

"I can't." she said, shocked.

"I can't either." He told her.

She stared at him. "Ok I don't want to panic here, but could you please get the hell out of my head?" she asked him.

"Believe me," he told her, closing his eyes and concentrating. "I would if I could." He opened his eyes and looked at her, confused. "I don't understand this." Suddenly a look of slightly less confused understanding appeared on his face. "It's almost like we've…" he trailed off. "You didn't happen to ever start the bonding process, did you?" he asked her.

She looked at him, confused. "Yeah, a few months before…" she broke off. "How did you-?" Her jaw dropped. "You're him." She whispered.

He nodded. "Technically."

"So we're…?" she asked, not able to finish.

He nodded again. Seeing the look of pain on her face, he reached out and pulled her to him so she was sitting on the bed in front of him.

"Lily." He said. When she wouldn't look at him, he reached out and lifted her face till her eyes met his. "If you want, there are ways to break it." He told her. "They hurt, but we could do it." He made sure she was looking at him before continuing. "We don't have to go through with it."

She took a deep breath. "What do you think?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter what I think." He told her, but she shook her head.

"It's as much your decision as it is mine." She told him. "I'm not the only one who lost someone." She whispered.

He looked down and it was her turn to make him look at her.

He sighed and said, "I don't hate having you in my head." He told her.

She smirked. "Thank you for the glowing complement." She told him, her voice thick with sarcasm. She then smiled softly. "It is kinda nice not being all alone." She told him softly.

"We could let it be for now." He told her. "It will take several weeks for it to become permanent. We could wait and see."

She thought for a second and then nodded. She then leaned over and wrapped him in a hug.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Martha asked, crossly.

Lily looked up at the Doctor. _We've got to stop prompting that question. _ She told him.

He just smiled down at her.

"Never mind." Martha said, seeing they weren't going to answer. Lily got back up and moved back to the window. "There's not much room." Martha said. "Us two here, same bed. Tongues will wag."

"Then their heads will explode when I kick him out and take his place." Lily called.

"There's such a thing as psychic energy," he told them, ignoring they conversation and continuing on with the previous one. "but a human couldn't channel it like that. Not without a generator the size of Taunton and I think we'd have spotted that."

"Says the man who missed the London Eye." Lily butted in.

He glared at her and turned so he was laying on his side with his back facing her. "No. There's something I'm missing, Martha." He sighed. "Something really close, staring me right in the face and I can't see it. Rose would know. A friend of mine, Rose. Right now, she'd say exactly the right thing." He rolled onto his back and sighed again. "Still, can't be helped. You're a novice, never mind. I'll take you back home tomorrow."

Lily snickered as she watched Martha get offended and huff "Great!".

"Come on." She said reaching down and pulling him up. "Let Martha and I get some sleep. The mighty Time Lord can stand watch." She laughed as she watched him puff up with pride then deflate as her sarcasm sunk in. Martha leaned over and blew out the candle.

*************************************************************************************

A few hours later Martha was asleep, while the Doctor and Lily were still wide awake. Lily lay on her side looking at the Doctor, who sat in a chair next to the bed. She reached out and took his hand.

_Will was right, I am afraid of losing sight of you. _She told him. _I didn't feel like this in the TARDIS. But every time I close my eyes, I'm afraid that when I open them, you'll be gone and I'll be alone._

He squeezed her hand. _Close your eyes. _He told her. She gave him a strange look but did as he asked. He let go of her hand and her eyes sprang back open. _Keep them shut._ He told her. She gave him a wary look but did as he asked. _Now feel for the link. Feel it?_ He grinned as she nodded. _That's one of the good things about it. You'll always know I'm there if you need me. _

She opened her eyes and looked at him. _And vice versa. _She told him.

He squeezed her hand again. _And vice versa. _He agreeded.

She smiled softly and closed her eyes again, keeping them shut this time. She had just started to drift off, the Doctor still holding her hand, when a scream split the night.

Like a shot, Lily and the Doctor were up and through the door, Martha a few seconds behind them.

As they entered Shakespeare's room, they found Dolly on the ground. The Doctor went to her to find her dead, while Lily and Martha went to the window.

"Wha'?" Shakespeare asked, confused. "Wha' was that?"

"Doctor?" Martha called, her eyes not leaving the window.

He came and joined them at the window. "What did you see?" he asked them.

Martha and Lily stared at each other, at a loss for words.

"You know how you said there was no such thing as witches?" Lily asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah. Why, what did you see?"

Martha and Lily looked at each other again. Finally Martha answered.

"A witch."

A/N: I know, I know! I'm a horrible author, leaving you all without my wonderful updates for so long. However did you survive it? All I ask is that you don't send me your therapy bills. Anyway, there you go. You know the drill: REVIEW!!!!!!!!

Abbey


	25. The Shakespeare Code: Ye Olde Asylum

Disclaimer: I have no claim to the Whoverse, as disappointing as that is.

Ch.25:

As the sun rose over the horizon, The Doctor, Lily and Martha found themselves sitting in Shakespeare's room.

"Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey." The bard said. "She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so?" he shook his head. "She had such enormous spirit."

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light." The Doctor quoted.

"I might use that." Shakespeare said, thoughtfully.

"You can't." The Doctor told him. "It's someone else's."

Shakespeare shrugged and when he turned his attention to Martha, Lily discreetly smacked The Doctor upside the head.

"But the thing is," Martha was saying. "Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright and they were both connected to you."

"You're accusing me?" Shakespeare asked her.

Martha looked shocked. "No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches."

"I have?" He asked, confused. "When was that?"

"You're a couple of years to early, hon." Lily told Martha in a low voice.

"Peter Streete spoke of witches." Shakespeare said suddenly.

"Who's Peter Streete?" Martha asked him.

"His builder." Lily answered. She shrugged when they all looked at her. "I was fascinated by the Globe."

"She right." Shakespeare said, still staring at her. "He sketched the plans to the Globe."

"The architect." The Doctor mumbled. "Hold on. The architect! The architect!" He suddenly stood, banging his fists on the table. "The Globe! Come on!"

He took off at a run with Martha and Shakespeare following after him. After a second, Lily too followed with a groan.

* * *

Lily was sitting on the edge of the stage swinging her feet back and forth, watching the Doctor as he paced.

"Doctor, what are we looking for?" she sighed.

"The columns there, right?" he said, pointing. "14 sides. I've always wondered but I never asked... tell me, Will, why 14 sides?"

Shakespeare shrugged. "It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well."

"Doctor?" Lily said. "Why does that sound familiar? 14?" She shook her head. "It's like a buzzing in the back of my head. Like I should know it, but I don't."

He gave her a thoughtful look.

"I think it's actually me." He told her finally. "But you're right, it does sound familiar. 14…"

"There are 14 lines in a sonnet." Martha added and the Doctor nodded.

"So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same design." He began pacing again._ "_14 lines, 14 sides, 14 facets…Oh, my head. Tetra decagon... think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!"

"Doctor, you're giving me a headache." Lily complained, rubbing her temples. He gave her an apologetic look and quickly threw up some barriers between his mind and hers. Almost immediately her headache let up and she gave him a grateful smile.

"This is just a theater." Shakespeare said.

The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, but a theatre's magic, isn't it? You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time..." he grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her down to the pit. He lifted her hand and spun her around, making her laugh. "Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy, change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. And if you exaggerate that..." he trailed off, but didn't let go of Lily's hand.

"It's like you're police box." Martha said, taking Lily's place at the edge of the stage. "Small wooden box with all that POWER inside."

The Doctor and Lily both smiled at her.

"Oh." He said. "Oh, Martha Jones, I like you. Tell you what, though." He turned to Shakespeare. "Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?"

Shakespeare winced.

"You won't get an answer." He told them. "A month after finishing this place... lost his mind."

The Doctor and Lily exchanged a look.

"Why?" Martha asked.

"Who knows why anyone loses their mind?" Lily asked her with mock disapproval. "And you call yourself a doctor." She shook her head and Martha stuck her tongue out at her.

"I just meant, what happened?" Martha clarified.

"Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling." Shakespeare answered. "His mind was addled."

"Where is he now?" the Doctor asked.

"Bedlam."

The Doctor felt Lily stiffen next to him when Shakespeare gave his answer.

"What's Bedlam?" Martha asked, confused.

"Bethlehem Hospital." Shakespeare told her. "The madhouse."

Lily shuddered.

"Those who by some miracle, or curse, aren't insane when they enter, soon are." She said.

"Well, that's where we're going." The Doctor said, hoping Lily would be alright. "Right now. Come on."

He led Lily outside and Martha followed.

"Wait!" Shakespeare called after them. "I'm coming with you! I want to witness this first hand." He ran up to his actors who had just arrived. "Ralph, the last scene as promised." He said, handing over the script. "Copy it, hand it round. Learn it. Speak it. Back before curtain up. Remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know — the Queen might turn up." He scoffed as he walked out. "As if. She never does."

* * *

Lily stood wrapped in the Doctor's arms, her face buried in his chest, trying to block out the horror around her.

"Does my lord, Doctor, wish some entertainment while he waits?" the jailer asked with a sick grin. "I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for ya. Bandog and Bedlam!" He rapped a stick on the bars of the nearby cells.

"No, I don't!" The Doctor said, holding a shaking Lily closer.

The Jailer shrugged. "Wait here, my lords, while I make him decent for the ladies."

And with that, he walked off.

"So this is what you call a hospital, yeah?" Martha rounded on Shakespeare, utterly disgusted. "Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?"

"Oh, and it's all so different in Freedonia." He replied, defensively.

"But you're clever!" She told him. "Do you honestly think this place is any good?"

Shakespeare sighed.

"I've been mad." He told her. "I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again." He shook his head. "It serves its purpose."

"Mad in what way?" Martha asked, skeptically.

"You lost your son." The Doctor answered softly.

Shakespeare looked away. "My only boy." He told them. "The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."

Lily reached out from the Doctor's arms and put a hand on the poet's arm.

"I lost my daughter." She told him softly. Both Shakespeare and Martha starred at her. "I was still carrying her when I was hurt in an attack. I know what it's like to feel like it was your fault. I also know what it's like to have those feelings drive you a little bit more than crazy."

"I didn't know." Martha said to both of them. "I'm sorry."

"It made me question everything." Shakespeare told them. "The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be... oh, that's quite good." He said with a thoughtful look.

"You should write that down." The Doctor winced when Lily hit his stomach.

"Hmm…Maybe not." Shakespeare replied. "A bit pretentious?"

Lily sighed when the jailer called for them to follow him.

He led them down a corridor of screaming men and women to a dank, tiny, dark cell.

"They can be dangerous, m'lord." He told them as they entered. "Don't know their own strength."

The Doctor glared at him.

"I think it helps if you don't whip them. Now get out!" he told him.

The Jailer shrugged and shut the door after him.

The Doctor tried to get Lily to let go, but she just held tighter.

"Lily-girl, it's ok." He told her quietly.

She shook her head.

"It's too much. If I lose focus for one minute, I'll…" she trailed off.

"You'll lose control." He finished, but she shook her head.

"I'll be like them." She whispered. "I'll start screaming and I won't be able to stop." She shivered. "The only way I can survive is to bury it all, but something about this place…" she didn't seem to be able to find the right words.

"It brings it all to the front?" The Doctor asked and she nodded. He sighed and when he tried to remove her hands again, she didn't fight him. He put his hands on her temples. "Just remember," he told her. "I'm right here."

She nodded and let him walk away. Martha silently came up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Lily looked up in surprise and smiled.

"Peter?" The Doctor asked hesitantly as he approached the rocking man. "Peter Streete?"

"He's the same as he was." Shakespeare told him. "You'll get nothing out of him."

The Doctor ignored him and laid a hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Peter?" he asked again.

Suddenly, Peter's head shot up and they could see his glassy eyes. He looked like he was trying to say something but something was stopping him.

The Doctor laid his hands on Peter's temples just like he had done with Lily a second ago.

"Peter, I'm the Doctor." He told the man. "Go into the past, one year ago. Let your mind go back, back to when everything was fine and shining." Peter seemed to relax. "Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A winter's tale. Let go. Listen. That's it, just let go." He let Peter lay down on the cot. "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches."

And Peter began to talk.

"Witches spoke to Peter." He told them. "In the night, they whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. THEIR design!" he seemed adamant that it was their design. "The 14 walls — always 14. When the work was done," he laughed manically, "they sapped poor Peter's wits."

"Where did Peter see the witches?" The Doctor asked him softly. "Where in the city?" He crouched down next to Peter. _"_ Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me, where were they?"

"All Hallows Street." Peter whispered.

Suddenly a hag appeared next to the Doctor. He quickly backed away until he was standing with Lily and Martha.

"What the hell?" Martha shouted.

"Just one touch of the heart." The hag said as she leaned over Peter. She laid her hand on Peter's chest and his whole body arched.

"NO!" the Doctor shouted, but it was too late. Peter fell to the ground, dead, while the rest looked on, horrified.

"Witch!" Shakespeare whispered. "I'm seeing a witch."

"Who would be next, hmm?" The hag cackled. "Just one touch. Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."

Martha ran to the door.

"Let us out!" She screamed. "Let us out!"

"That's not gonna work." The Doctor told her calmly. "The whole building's shouting that."

"Who will die first, hmm?" the hag asked.

"Well if you're looking for volunteers." The Doctor said, calmly, as he took a step forward.

Suddenly a golden transparent wall appeared between the Doctor and the hag. His eyes flashed to Lily as the hag took a step back. Her eyes were now more gold then gray.

"What is that?" Martha asked in wonder.

"Doctor, can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked weakly, assuming that the Doctor was producing the shield.

"No mortal has power over me." The hag spit out.

"Oh, but there's a power in words." The Doctor replied. "If I can find the right one — if I can just know you..." he trailed off, thinking.

"None on Earth has knowledge of us." She told him.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here." He replied, smugly. "Now think, think, think... Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy... ah, 14! That's it! 14! The 14 stars of the Rexel planetary configuration!" he pointed a finger at her. "Creature, I name you Carrionite!"

The Hag wailed and disappeared. A second later, the golden shield dropped.

"What did you do?" Martha asked. "And what was that shield?"

The Doctor moved to Lily's side, who leaned heavily on him.

"I named her." He answered, ignoring Martha's second question. "The power of a name. That's old magic."

"But there's no such thing as magic." Martha said.

"Well, it's just a different sort of science." He told her. "You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead."

"Use them for what?" Shakespeare asked.

"End of the world." The Doctor told him. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Lily and I need to have a conversation."

He gently gripped her hand and led her out, Martha and Shakespeare following behind.

When they made it out, they found a quiet place and sat down.

"What was that?" The Doctor asked Lily seriously.

She glared at him.

"Dark Phoenix, me,-I was created solely to protect the Doctor." She told him._ Just because I've changed Doctors, doesn't mean the reason I exist has changed. _She continued silently.

"Is it going to happen again?" he asked her out loud.

"I don't know." She replied. "I don't have much control over it, and frankly I don't really want to stop it."

He starred at her.

"Why?" he asked.

"Did you ever stop to think what would happen to me if I lost you?" Lily spat at him. But before he could answer, she continued right on. "Of course not! Did you ever stop to think that you are the only thing I have left? That you are my entire world now. I have nothing but you!" She angrily wiped at a tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Lily…" The Doctor whispered.

"So no," Lily continued. "If you're going to continue to take risks, I'm going to continue to protect you when my powers decide you need protecting, and probably even when they don't think you need it."

The Doctor was silent for a minute, and then he nodded.

"Ok." He told her.

She stared at her in shock.

"Ok?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Ok." She agreed hesitantly. "I'm glad we got that sorted out."

"Me too." He replied with a smile.

"Wait." Shakespeare said. "Lady Lily was the cause of the gold wall?"

A/N: I know it's been forever! Please don't hurt me. *cowers under desk until she's sure there will be no incoming fire* I don't really have any excuse except I started a Harry Potter story so I've been trying to get it set up. Speaking of American Suitehearts, you guys need to step it up! With only nine chapters, they've already got you beat by 26 reviews! Come on, I know you guys don't want to lose to a whole bunch of Harry Potter freaks! So you know how to fix this. Just press the little button that says 'review'! Updates: My new rule for myself is: One chapter of AS, one chapter of NGBA. Hopefully this will keep both groups happy.

Abbey


	26. The Shakespeare Code: Ye Olde Win

Disclaimer: So I was looking through my documents on my computer, and you'll never guess what I found. The proof of purchase for Doctor Who. No seriously, it's right here. Hold on a minute. I know I had it right here. It's got to be here. No wait, come back! I just had it!

Ch.26:

The group found themselves much subdued and back in Shakespeare's room.

"The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe." The Doctor was explaining. Lily was sitting next to him, her head on his shoulder, desperately trying to hold off unconsciousness. "Nobody was sure if they were real or legend."

"Well, I'm going for real." Shakespeare said causing Lily to laugh.

"But what do they want?" Martha asked. She tried to reach over to check her friend's vitals, but Lily waved her off.

"The shield took it out of me." She told the young doctor. "That's all. I'm fine."

Martha nodded but kept a watchful eye on her.

"A new empire on Earth." The Doctor said, answering Martha's question. "A world of bones and blood and witchcraft."

"But how?" Martha asked.

The Doctor turned and looked at Shakespeare.

"I'm looking at the man with the words." He answered simply.

Lily and Martha both looked at the poet.

"Me?" Shakespeare said, shocked. "But I've done nothing."

"Hold on, though." Martha said. "What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?"

"Finishing the play." Shakespeare told her.

"What happens on the last page?" The Doctor asked.

"The boys get the girls." Shakespeare told them. "They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual —" he broke off. "except those last few lines. Funny thing is...I don't actually remember writing them." He looked confused.

"That's it." The Doctor exclaimed. "They used you. They gave you the final words. Likea spell, like a code. 'Love's Labours Won' — it's a weapon! The right combination of words, spoken at the right place with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing!" He got a smug look on his face. "And yes, you can have that." He told Shakespeare. "OW!"

Lily had slapped him again.

"Stop doing that." he said, shaking a finger at her.

"Stop giving me a reason." she replied.

He just shook his head.

"I need a map."

Shakespeare quickly found one and handed it over.

"All Hallows Street." The Doctor was pouring over the map. "There it is. Martha, we'll track down them down. Lily, you and Will get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play."

Lily nodded and wrapped her arms around the Doctor and hugged him tightly, which he returned.

"Stay safe." she told him sternly. "I'll know if you don't." She tapped her head.

The Doctor laughed.

"I promise." he told her, hugging her tightly.

"We'll do it." Shakespeare told the Doctor, shaking his hand. "All these years, I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."

"Oh, don't complain." Martha told him.

"I'm not." Shakespeare replied with a smile. "It's marvelous! Good luck, Doctor."

"Good luck, Shakespeare." he told the bard. He reached over and squeezed Lily's hand.

_Be careful, Lily girl. _he told her silently.

She smiled. _I will._ she replied.

"Once more unto the breach!" He said out loud, quickly dancing away from Lily as she swung, and walked out the door.

"I like that." Shakespeare said thoughtfully. "Wait a minute… That's one of mine!"

"Oh I give up." Lily groaned.

* * *

Lily and Shakespeare ran through the streets of London.

"Do you think they'll find whatever the Doctor is looking for?" the Bard called as they ran.

Lily smiled.

"The Doctor always finds what he's looking for, even when he's not looking for it." she called back.

Shakespeare gave a chuckle and they kept running.

They didn't even slow down when they hit back stage, they just ran straight to the stage. When the hit the curtain Lily faltered, but Shakespeare just kept going.

"Stop the play." he yelled, barging into the middle of a scene. "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, but stop. This performance must end immediately."

"Everyone's a critic." Lily heard one of the actors mutter.

"I'm sorry, you'll all get a refund." Shakespeare called over the booing crowd. "But this play must not be performed."

Lily gasped as he suddenly fell to the floor.

"Is he drunk or what?" an actor whispered.

"Get him off the stage." another whispered.

Suddenly Lily felt something pulling her, as if dragging her somewhere else. She looked down at her hands to find them glowing gold. Not wanting to have to deal with terrified stage hands as they took Shakespeare off the stage, Lily quickly ducked behind a curtain. A second later, she disappeared in a gold flash.

She reappeared in a disgusting room next to the Doctor. Across from them stood one of the Carrionites. She was pointing and speaking to the Doctor. Lily looked around and saw Martha not moving on the floor.

"Another appears." the woman, who Lily recognized as the helpful one from the inn, looked confused by Lily's sudden appearance. "No matter I shall deal with you too."

"Ah, there's a problem with that." Lily pointed out, quickly catching up. "The naming won't work on me."

"That's what I said." The Doctor said, taking her appearance in stride.

"But your heart grows cold. The north wind blows and carries down the distant…" the witch paused to smile. "Rose."

The Doctor ground his teeth.

"Oh, big mistake. Cause that name keeps me fighting." The Doctor spit at her, but the Carrionite had turned her attention to Lily.

"And you, who has no name, what name strikes your heart?" she asked curiously. "Ah, I see, gone too soon, your heart's dear boon, your dear departed Samantha."

Lily glared at her.

"You should not dare to speak that name." she said in a deadly cold voice. "For it might be the last you ever speak."

"The Carrionites vanished!" The Doctor broke in. "Where did you go?"

The witch glared at him.

"The Eternals found the right words to banish us into the deep darkness." she told them.

"And how did you escape?" He asked.

"New words." She replied. "New and glittering, from a mind like no other."

"Shakespeare." Lily whispered.

"His son perished." The Carrionite continued. "The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance."

"How many of you?" The Doctor asked.

"Just the three." She again answered without hesitation. It was starting to make Lily nervous. "But the play tonight shall restore the rest." She really started to get into it. "Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back to the old ways of blood and magic."

"Hmm…Busy schedule…" the Doctor told her, glancing at Lily, then moving to stand right in front of the woman. Lily shadowed him. "But first you got to get through us."

The Carrionite gave him a seductive smile, causing Lily to audibly gag.

"Oh that should be a pleasure, considering my enemy has such a handsome shape."

Lily's hand twitched as the other ran her finger along the Doctor's face.

_Can't I just break one of her fingers? _ Lily asked.

_No._

_Just one?_

_No._

_Spoil sport._

"Now," the Doctor said out loud. "That's one form of magic that definitely won't work on me."

She smiled again.

"Oh we'll see."

With that she yanked her hand back and jumped away from them. The Doctor's hand flew to the side of his head.

"What did you do?" he asked.

She just smiled.

"Souvenir." She told him.

"Well, give it back!" he yelled.

She threw open her arms and the window shutters banged open. Lily and the Doctor watched, stunned as she flew out and hovered right outside the window.

"Ok that's just cheating." Lily groused as they ran to the window.

"Behold." She called. "Men, to Carrionites, are nothing but puppets."

She held up what looked to be a doll and wrapped the lock of hair she had stolen from the Doctor around it.

_Oh no._ Lily moaned.

"Now you might call that magic," the Doctor said, shooting Lily a look. "but I call that a DNA replication module."

_Doctor, with a direct link like that, _Lily continued silently, _I can't protect you. There's nothing to protect from. She's using your own DNA to attack you._ She glared at him. _If she kills you, I'm bringing you back to kill you myself._

"What use is your science now?" The Carrionite asked right before she plunged a needle into the dolls heart.

The Doctor let out a cry and fell to the floor, unmoving. Martha, who had awoken in time to see the Doctor fall, ran to his side. Before Lily could attack the Carrionite, she was gone.

"Damn." Lily cursed, searching the night sky. She looked down at the Doctor. "Martha, you help the Doctor. I've got to go help Shakespeare."

Without sparing a second glance, Lily looked inside for the power that had brought her there, and a second later was gone.

Martha bent to check the Doctor's vitals.

"Hold on mister," she rebuked when she heard his heart. "Two hearts?"

The Doctor opened one eye.

"You're making a habit of this." He tried to stand, but fell back down with a cry. "I've only got one heart working." He glared at her. "How do you people cope?" He shook his head. "I've got to get the other one started. Hit me."

She gave him a skeptical look.

"Hit me on the chest." He told her. She complied and he cried out again. "Other side." She did what he told her to. "On the back. On the back." She hit him again. "Left a bit." She hit him one last time. "Ahh, lovely."

He stood and looked around.

"There we go! Ba-da-boom!" He gave her a look. "Well, what are you standing there for? Come on! The Globe!"

They took off at a run.

A few streets away, Martha realized that something wasn't right.

"We're going the wrong way!" she shouted at him.

The Doctor turned the corner and replied, "No we're not!".

A few seconds later, he reversed course and shouted, "We're going the wrong way!".

They rounded a corner and saw lights and smoke rising from the Globe.

"I told thee!" The man who had predicted the world would burn told them. "I told thee!"

"Stage door!" The Doctor called, ignoring him.

They ran into to see Lily helping Shakespeare to sit up.

"Stop the play." He told them. "I think that was it. Yeah, I think I said 'Stop the play'!"

"I hit my head." Shakespeare told him.

"Yeah, well don't rub it." The Doctor told him sarcastically. "You'll go bald."

"Oh, leave him alone." Lily snapped at him.

The Doctor just glared at her.

"You and I are having a long conversation after this is done." He told her.

She glared right back.

"Yeah, we are." She told him. "But I don't think it's going to be about what you think it's going to be."

Suddenly screams came from the stage.

Lily and The Doctor looked to the stage and then back at each other.

"I think that's my cue." He said before running onto the stage, Lily, Martha, and Shakespeare following closely.

Seeing the chaos of the released Carrionites, the Doctor grabbed Shakespeare's arm and pulled him forward.

"Come on, Will." He told the Bard. "History needs you!"

Shakespeare looked at him, confused.

"But what can I do?" he asked the Doctor.

"Reverse it!" The Doctor yelled to him.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Will yelled back.

"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius." The Doctor shouted. "The only man clever enough to do it!"

"But what words?" he asked. "I have none ready."

"You're William Shakespeare!" Lilly yelled. As she said this, a gold wall appeared around them to protect them from flying debris.

"But these Carrionite phrases," he balked, "they require such precision."

"Trust yourself." The Doctor told him. "When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they? Like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm — words that last forever! That's what you do, Will! You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise!"

Shakespeare nodded and stepped forward.

"Close up this den of hateful, dire decay!" The Poet yelled. "Decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!"

"No!" They heard the Carrionites scream. "Words of Power!"

"Foul Carrionite specters," Shakespeare continued, "cease your show! Between the points..."

He looked to the Doctor.

"7-6-1-3-9-0" The Doctor told him.

"7-6-1-3-9-0." Shakespeare repeated. "And banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee..."

He trailed off, unable to think of a final word to banish the Carrionites.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha suddenly shouted.

"Expelliarmus!" The Doctor repeated, while Lily laughed.

"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare concluded.

And with that last word, the Carrionites became trapped in a wind tunnel, locking them away forever, and with them, every copy of Love's Labour Won.

"There it goes." Lily called. As the wind finally dropped, she allowed the shield to drop as well. The moment it was down, she began to sink to the ground, but the Doctor caught her and held her up.

"Thanks." She whispered. "I think I'm gonna pass out now."

"You think you can wait for just a few minutes more?" he asked. "I just want to go grab something."

She nodded and the Doctor handed her off to Martha, who wrapped her arm around Lily's waist to help her to stand.

"They think it's special effects?" she asked in wonder at the cheering crowd.

"Your effect is indeed special." Shakespeare told her.

Lily and Martha starred at him.

"It's not your best line." Martha told him as Lily burst out laughing.

Shakespeare shrugged and led them forward to take their bows.

* * *

The next morning, the group found themselves back in the Globe.

"And I say, a heart for a hart and a dear for a deer." Shakespeare was telling Martha an Elizabethan joke, and was currently waiting for her to laugh.

"I don't get it." Martha told him causing Lily to burst out laughing from where she was laying on the stage. She was still worn out from the night before and the Doctor had given her instructions to stay put.

"Then give me a joke from Freedonia." Shakespeare told her, leaning back.

"Ok." Martha said with a smile. "Shakespeare walks into a pub and the landlord says, 'oi, mate, you're bard'."

Shakespeare laughed while Lily groaned.

"It's brilliant!" Shakespeare told her. "Doesn't make sense, mind you, but never mind that." He leaned forward and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Come here."

"I've only just met you." Martha told him.

"The Doctor might never kiss you." He said softly. "Why not entertain a man who will?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, oh great genius," Martha said, just as softly. "But you're breath doesn't half stink."

At this moment, The Doctor walked out of the back room wearing a neck ruff and a skull.

"Good prop store back there." He called.

_You look ridiculous in that thing. _Lily told him, cracking one eye at him.

He just ignored her.

"I'm not sure about this though." He continued, holding up the skull.

"Ooo! Syxorax!" Lily said, jumping up, but before she could make it far, she doubled over with a groan, grabbing her head.

"I told you to stay still." The Doctor told her, helping her to sit back down.

"Syxorax." Shakespeare said. "Nice word. I'll have that off you as well."

The Doctor shook his head.

"I should be on 10%." He said. "How's your head?" He asked the bard.

"Still aching." Shakespeare replied.

The Doctor reached up and removed the ruff and handed it to Shakespeare.

"Here, I got this for you." He told him. "Neck brace. Wear that for a few days till it's better, although," he gave the bard a thoughtful look, "you might wanna keep it. It suits you."

"If I could stand I would slap you so hard." Lily called.

"What about the play?" Martha asked.

"Gone." He told them. "I looked all over — every single copy of 'Love's Labours' Won went up in the sky."

"My lost masterpiece." Shakespeare said.

"You could always write it up again." Martha consoled him.

Lily and the Doctor exchanged a look.

"Yeah, maybe not Will." The Doctor told him. "There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best be forgotten."

"Oh, but I've got new ideas." Shakespeare told them. "Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons. In memory of my boy — my precious Hamnet."

"Hamnet?" Martha asked.

Lily snorted.

"That's him." Shakespeare replied.

"Ham_net_?" Martha asked again.

"What's wrong with that?" Shakespeare replied.

_Stop that. _The Doctor said to a hysterical Lily, who was rolling on the floor, laughing.

"Anyway," the Doctor said aloud, "time we were off." He held up the Carrionite's crystal. "I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS where this lot can scream for all eternity. And we've got to get Martha back to Freedonia."

"You mean travel on in time and space." Shakespeare told him.

"You…what?" The Doctor sputtered.

"You're from another world like the Carrionites, as is Lady Lily, and Martha is from the future." He smiled. "It's not hard to work out."

The Doctor stared at him.

"Did you really believe anyone was going to believe 'Freedonia'?" Lily asked him softly.

"That's incredible." He finally told the other man. "You are incredible."

"We're alike in many ways, Doctor." He turned to Lily standing at the Doctor's side. "I wish you all the happiness in the universe and a lift from your pain, my Lady Lily."

Lily smiled and gave him a quick hug.

"And you, my dear Will."

Shakespeare turned to Martha.

"Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate—"

He broke off as one of his actors came running up.

"Will!" he called. "Will! You'll never believe it! She's here! She's turned up!"

"We're the talk of the town." Another actor told him. "She heard about last night! She wants us to perform it again."

"Who?" Martha asked.

"Her majesty!" The second one told them. "She's here!"

As he said this, trumpets called out a fanfare and in walked the Queen.

"Queen Elizabeth I!" The Doctor said, sounding giddy as a school boy.

The Queen caught sight of him and froze.

"Doctor!" she yelled.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"My sworn enemy!" she continued.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Off with his head!" Elizabeth yelled to her guards.

"What?" the Doctor asked again.

"Never mind 'what'," Martha told him, "just run!" She began pulling Lily and the Doctor to the stage door. "See you, Will!" she called back. "And thanks!"

The three of them ran out the door, guards hot on their heels.

"Stop in the name of the Queen!" they heard one shout as they ran.

"What have you done to piss her off?" Lily shouted as they turned a corner.

"How should I know?" he shouted back. "I haven't met her yet! That's time travel for you!"

"Yeah well she used to like me, so I think you should fix whatever it is!" She shouted back.

"Oh, well, something to look forward to then!" The Doctor told her with a grin, which she returned.

They ran straight to the TARDIS and quickly hurried in. Right as the Doctor was about to get in, Lily raised her hand and a gold wall deflected an arrow from hitting the Doctor's head.

"Thanks." He said as he closed the door.

"Don't mention it." She said moving to collapse on the jump seat.

He smiled and moved to the console.

"Shall we?" he asked.

And with that they disappeared.

A/N: Ok I know it's been forever. I'm so so so so so sorry! I had to get a new lap top cause three keys on my old one broke, which made it slightly hard to type on. Any way I'm back, and this is the end of Shakespeare Code. There will be a filler chapter between this and Gridlock. What I want to know is how many of you want the bond to stay. I know lots of Rose/Doctor stories have bonds, so I don't want it to be cliché. Please let me know what you think!

Abbey


	27. Gridlock: Hello New New York

Disclaimer: I own nothing. But if I did, the world would be a much better

Ch.27:

"Are you ok?" Martha asked Lily, worried.

"Never again." Lily moaned from her spot on the floor. About a minute after entering the TARDIS and taking off, she had collapsed and not moved from that spot. "Someone wants to kill you," she continued, glaring at the Doctor, "next time, I'm letting them."

He walked over and gently lifted her into his arms, moving her over to the jump seat.

_Is there anything I can do? _he asked her.

"Get out of my head, for starters." she said grumpily. She winced when he looked away. "I'm sorry." she said, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "I don't handle pain well," she tried to explain, "and talking inside my head makes it hurt worse."

"I'm sorry." he said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "What can I do?" he asked again.

"I'll be fine." she told him. "Just give me a few minutes." Seeing that they weren't going to leave her alone, she sighed. "Go." she told them. "Talk amongst yourselves."

The Doctor chuckled and moved away.

"Well," he said, turning to Martha, "one trip, that's what I said. One trip, in the TARDIS, and then home." He paused, looking thoughtful. "Although-" he paused again, "I suppose we could…stretch the definition." He nodded. "Try one trip to the past, one trip to the future." He grinned at the young woman. "How do you fancy that?"

Martha beamed at him.

"No complaints from me!" she told him.

_You're so cute when you're trying to be subtle._ Lily said silently.

He glared at her.

_I thought your head hurt. _ He groused.

"How about a different planet?" he asked Martha aloud.

"Can we go to your's?" she asked excitedly. She didn't even notice how the Doctor and Lily both stiffened at this suggestion.

"Ahh, there's plenty of other places!" The Doctor replied, trying to get her off the subject.

"Come on , though!" Martha continued, oblivious to his and Lily's discomfort. "I mean, Planet of the Time Lords, that's got to be worth a look! What's it like?"

"Well, it's beautiful, yeah." he told her.

"Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" Martha pushed.

"Suppose it is." The Doctor shrugged.

Martha, by this point, was so thoroughly lost in her own imagination that she didn't even notice Lily get to her feet and walk to the other side of the Doctor. She reached out and gently laid her hand on his.

_It's not like we've told her. _She said through the bond. _She can't know that it hurts to think of Gallifrey, much less talk about it._

_I know._ He replied, squeezing her hand.

Martha was still talking.

"Great big temples and cathedrals!" she sighed.

"Yeah." the Doctor replied, fiddling with a control.

"Lots of planets in the sky?" she asked.

The Doctor sighed.

"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns." He told her.

Lily took up the description, thinking of the planet she had dreamed of all her life.

"There are mountains that go on forever," she told the other woman, "slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."

"Can we go there?" Martha asked, totally enthralled by the image they had painted.

The Doctor shook himself out of him memories.

"Naah! Where's the fun for me?" he replied. "I don't want to go home! Instead…" He jumped up and began inputting new coordinates. "This is much better." he told her. "Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth!"

"Seriously?" Lily yelped. She jumped up and down, clapping her hands when he nodded. "Shopping!" she yelled before grabbing him in a tight hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"Second hope of mankind!" he continued, chuckling at her antics. "Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York." he grinned. "Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." he took a deep breath to recover from that many 'new's "One of the most dazzling cities ever built." he told her.

"It also has some of the best shopping in the universe." Lily butted in. She quickly spun on the spot and dived into a pile of bags from her shopping trip with Gwen that she had yet to put away.

"What are you looking for?" Martha called as the girl disappeared under bags.

"Better question," the Doctor said, " why did you need to buy all that stuff?"

"First: I needed to buy all this because all my things got left…behind." she told him emerging from the pile. "And second: I was looking for this." she held up a black purse, pulling out a wallet as she went. "I'm getting the card Jack gave me." she explained. "The guy does have more money than, you know, god, so I thought he wouldn't mind treating Martha and me to a little shopping trip in New New York."

"I feel so incredibly bad for his bank account." The Doctor replied. "Oh very mature." he said as she stuck out her tongue at him.

"I couldn't possibly…" Martha tried to protest, but Lily cut her off.

"Believe me when I tell you, Jack won't even notice it's missing." she told her.

"Well, lets get this show on the road." the Doctor said, throwing on his overcoat and handing Lily hers.

They stepped out of the TARDIS to find themselves in pouring rain. Martha scowled and quickly zipped up her jacket.

"Oh that's nice!" she said. "Time Lord version of dazzling."

"Come on." Lily said, walking beside her, not bothered by the rain in the slightest. "A little bit of rain never hurt anyone."

Suddenly, Lily stumbled and the Doctor moved quickly to catch her.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

She grabbed his arm tightly.

_There's someone here._ she told him silently.

_What do you mean?_ he asked.

_Someone like me._ she replied. _Someone with a connection to the vortex. I can feel it all around me._

The Doctor starred at her.

_Are you sure? _he asked.

She nodded minutely.

"Let's get under cover." The Doctor said, leading them out of the rain.

"Well, it looks like the same old Earth to me." Martha groused, not noticing the silent communication between her two travel guides. "On a Wednesday afternoon."

"Hold on, hold on." The Doctor said. He spied a screen on a nearby wall and walked over. "Let's have a look." He quickly pulled out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the screen. A second later, static appeared.

"Allow me." Lily said, reaching over and banging the top of it. A woman appeared on the screen giving the latest news.

"-and the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway." she was saying.

Suddenly the image shifted to a view of New New York in all it's glory. A beautiful, glowing city on the coast of a large river, cars zooming through the air.

"Oh, that's more like it!" The Doctor exclaimed. "That's the New New York we had last time."

"I must have been here in the early days." Lily said, studying the image closely. "It wasn't nearly as developed last time I was here."

"You didn't come here together?" Martha asked, curiously.

Lily shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, no." she finally said. "I came here with my…I guess boyfriend is the best term I can come up with." she told her.

"Where is he?" Martha asked.

Lily looked down and her hands.

"He died." she said softly.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently, just like she had done for him earlier. She looked up, her eyes bright.

"You don't know that." he said, softly, not thinking about the fact that Martha could hear them.

Lily smiled weakly.

"There was no way he could have survived." she said simply. "They were closing in all around us. That's why he sent me to you. If there was a way out, we would have taken it." She shook her head. "No, he's dead. It's time I start accepting that."

He squeezed her hand again, not knowing what else to do.

Lily took a deep steadying breath.

"So," she said, "if that's New New York, where are we?"

The Doctor looked around them.

"This must be the lower levels." he said finally. "Down in the base of the tower, some sort of under-city."

Martha stared at him.

"You've brought me to the slums?" she asked.

The Doctor grinned.

"Much more interesting!" he told her. Lily shook her head at him and walked a few feet away. "It's all cocktails and glitter up there." he continued, watching her walk away. "This is the real city."

Martha smiled in spite of herself.

"You'd enjoy anything." she told him.

"That's me." he replied.

Lily smiled over her shoulder.

"Rain's stopping." she called.

"Better and better!" he said, coming to join her. Martha didn't move though, something having just occurred to her.

"If you didn't come here together, when you say 'last time', was that you and Rose?" she asked.

The Doctor looked confused.

"Um-yeah." he answered. "Yeah, it was, yeah."

Martha glared at him.

"You're taking me to the same planets that you took her?" she asked him.

The Doctor looked between her and Lily.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked, still confused.

"Nothing." Martha huffed, pushing past him. "Just-ever heard the word 'rebound'?" she muttered.

_I don't understand. _He said silently to Lily.

She just shook her head and patted his arm as she passed.

Suddenly, the top of a large green box flipped open to reveal a man in a street vendor's cart. Shortly after, two more did the same.

"Oh!" The first one exclaimed. "You should have said! How long you been there?" he asked, but continued without waiting for an answer. "Happy! You want Happy!"

"Customers!" the second called. "Customers! We've got customers!"

"We're in business!" a third called. "Mother, open up the Mellow and the Read!"

"Happy, Happy, lovely happy Happy!" the first called to them.

"Anger! Buy some Anger!" the second called, trying to get their attention.

The third waved at them.

"Get some Mellow," he called, "makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long!"

"Younger, them." the first said. "They'll rip you off. Do you want some happy?"

The Doctor frowned at them and exchanged a look with Lily.

"No, thanks." he told them.

Martha stared at them.

"Are they selling drugs?" she asked.

"I think they're selling…moods." Lily replied slowly.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Martha asked.

The three watched as people walked up to the booths and the sellers tried to get them to buy. Suddenly, a woman, dressed in very dark clothes walked quickly up to the booths.

"Over here, sweetheart!" The third seller called. "That's it, come on, I'll get you first!"

"Oy!" the first seller called, "Oy, you! Over here! Over here! Buy some Happy!"

"Come over here, yeah." the third one coxed. "And what can I get you, my love?"

"I want to buy Forget." the woman told him.

"I've got Forget, my darling." he replied quickly. "What strength?" he asked. "How much you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father." the woman said softly. "They went on the motorway."

"Oh, that's so sweet." he said. He reached behind the counter and pulled out a circular token and held it out to the woman. "Try this." he said. "Forget Forty-three. That's two pence."

The woman quickly handed him his money and turned away, token in hand. But before she could do anything with it, the Doctor stopped her.

"Sorry, but-hold on a minute." he said. "What happened to your parents?"

"They drove off." she said simply.

"They might drive back." Lily said, confused by what the woman could possibly mean.

"Everyone goes to the motorway in the end." she told them. "I've lost them."

The Doctor looked at her strangely.

"But they can't have gone far." he told her. "You could find them."

The woman just starred at him before looking down with a sigh. Before anyone can stop her, she stuck the token on her neck.

"No." the Doctor said quickly. "No-no, don't!"

But it was too late. The woman's expression changed almost immediately from one of despair to one of calm. She seemed out of it, unaware of her surroundings.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked him.

"Your parents." he said forcibly. "Your mother and father. They're on the motorway."

"Are they?" she replied. "That's nice."

Martha looked at the woman, disbelieving. She looked up at the Doctor, who looked disturbed.

"I'm sorry." the woman told them. "I won't keep you."

And with that, she turned and walked off, leaving the Doctor looking pensive, Lily worried, and Martha upset.

"So that's the human race five billion years in the future." she said, scornfully. "Off their heads on chemicals."

Before either the Doctor or Lily could reply, two people in dark clothing jumped Martha from behind. A man grabbed her around the neck and dragged her off, while a woman stood holding the Doctor and Lily at gun point. Lily started forward when she heard Martha scream, but the Doctor stopped her.

"I'm sorry." the man called as he kept dragging Martha away. "I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all."

"No, let her go!" The Doctor called, desperate. "I'm warning you, let her go! Whatever you want, I can help. Both of us," he said, motioning to Lily and himself. "we can help. But first, you've got to let her go!"

_Can you do something?_ he asked Lily quickly, but she was already shaking her head.

_Not without hurting Martha, too._

"I'm sorry." the woman called, seemingly almost in tears. "I'm really sorry. Sorry."

The Doctor and Lily watched, helplessly as the couple pulled Martha through a door, slamming it shut behind them.

The Doctor ran after them, Lily close behind him. He reached the door first and struggled to open it.

"Move!" Lily called and he ducked out the way just in time as the door blew open in a shower of gold. They ran through the door in time to see the three of them running down a fire escape. The man was dragging Martha by the arm as the woman brought up the rear, still holding out the gun.

"The Doctor and Lily are so gonna kill you." They heard Martha yell. "Never mind them, I'm gonna kill you myself! Let go of me!" She briefly broke free, but the man grabbed her again. They stopped in front of a black car.

"Give her some Sleep." the man told the woman.

Martha struggled even harder.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled. "Don't put that stuff in me, don't! Get off me!"

"It's just Sleep Fourteen." the woman told her soothingly as she pulled out a similar token to the one the woman had had earlier. Martha screamed as the woman stuck it on her neck.

"No, baby, don't fight it." the woman said in the same soothing voice.

"I'm telling you, don't!" Martha yelled.

Martha kept struggling, but with man still holding her, she couldn't resist for long. A second after the token touched her skin, she fell into a deep sleep.

"That's it." the woman said. "Come on. That's it."

"Get on board." The man said, loading Martha into the car.

A second later, the Doctor and Lily round the corner at a dead run, just in time to see the car take off.

"Martha!" The Doctor yelled after the car.

"What do we do now?" Lily asked him softly.

A/N: First chapter of Gridlock. Sorry it's been so long, but the leaving of David Tennant sorta broke me. And as much as I hate to say it, maybe, just maybe, Matt Smith won't be so bad. Anyway, tell me what you think. Come on, you know you want to. Just…click…the…pretty…button…

Abbey


	28. Gridlock: Which Way To Easy St?

Disclaimer: You know, I think I'm just gonna start telling everyone I own DW, then, maybe if I say it enough times, even the BBC will come to believe it.

Ch.28:

The Doctor and Lily quickly made their way back to the row of vendors.

"Thought you'd come back!" the one who had sold the Forget called to them. "Do you want some happy Happy?"

"Those people-" the Doctor asked, mad as hell. "Who were they? Where did they take her?"

"They've taken her to the motorway." the first vendor called.

"Looked like carjackers to me." the third agreed.

The second one shook his head.

"I'd give up now, darling." he told them. "You won't see her again."

Lily smiled and walk up to him.

"Come here." she said, crooking a finger at him. "Come on."

He smiled and leaned down.

"What would you like, darling?" he asked.

Lily's hand snaked out and grabbed the front of his shirt tightly, pulling his face level with hers.

"You better _pray_ that I see her again." she told him softly. "For your sake." She loosened her grasp slightly. "And I'm not your 'darling', love."

She let go and moved back to the Doctor's side.

"Used to be thriving in this place." the first told them, suddenly much more helpful. "You couldn't move." he shook his head, sadly. "But they all go to the motor way in the end."

"He kept on saying three, we need three." The Doctor said. "What did he mean three?"

"It's the car-sharing policy," the third told them, "to save fuel. You get special access if you're carrying thee adults."

"This motorway-" Lily said, "how do we get there?"

"Straight down the alley," the third said, pointing, "keep going to the end. You can't miss it."

The Doctor and Lily immediately took off in that direction, when the third seller's voice called them back.

"Tell you what-" he said, "how 'bout some happy Happy? Then you'll be smiling, my love!"

The Doctor turned and glared at all of them, briefly considering Lily's course of action.

"Word of advice, all of you." he finally said. "Cash up. Close down and pack your bags."

"Why's that, then?" the third called.

"Because, as soon as I've found her, alive and well-" he told them, "and I will find her, alive and well- then I'm coming back. And this street is closing. Tonight."

The Doctor took off, Lily close behind, before another word could be said.

* * *

Martha came slowly and painfully back to the land of the living.

"Yeah." she heard the woman say. "The view from the windows, you can see all the way out to the flatlands."

Martha slowly moved her hand to the token on her neck and ripped it off. She looked at it for only a second before throwing it away from her.

"The sky…" the woman continued, not noticing, "They say the air smells like apple grass. Can you imagine?"

"The houses are made of wood." the man said. "There are jobs going in the foundries. Everyone says so!"

Martha looked around quickly for an advantage and, spotting the gun laying next to her head, quickly grabbed it and pointed it at her captors.

"Take me back." she told them. "Whoever you are, just take me back to my friends. That's all I want. I won't cause any trouble, just take me back."

The two glanced at each other and back to Martha.

"I'm sorry." the woman said, finally. "That's not a real gun."

Martha stared at her.

"Yeah," she said quickly, trying to recover, "well, you would say that."

"Where do you get a gun from, these days?" the woman asked. "I wouldn't even know how to fire."

Martha gave the fake gun in her hands a disgusted look, slowly lowering.

"No," she finally said, "nor me. Okay."

The woman gave her tentative, but friendly smile.

"What's your name?" she asked Martha.

"Martha." she replied. "Martha Jones." She gingerly got up and moved to the front of the car.

"Well," the woman said, "I'm Cheen and this is Milo." At this point, she at least had the good sense to look ashamed. "And I swear, we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast line, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your friend."

Martha stared at her, shocked.

"Seriously?" she asked.

Cheen nodded.

"I swear!" she said. "Look-" she pulled back her hair and Martha saw she had a token on her neck. It said HONESTY in big letters with the number '36' underneath. "Honesty patch." she told the young woman.

"All the same," Martha rebuked them, "that's still kidnapping!" She looked out the window, curiously. "Where are we, anyway?"

"We're on the motorway." Milo told her.

"What's that, then?" Martha asked, pointing at the substance outside the window. "Fog?"

Cheen shook her head.

"That's the exhaust fumes." she told her.

"We're going out to Brooklyn." Milo said. "Everyone says the air's so much cleaner," he explained, "and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town, 'cause…." he trailed off, laying his hand on Cheen's knee.

"Well, 'cause of me." she picked up, grinning up at Martha. "I'm pregnant. We only discovered it las week." She seemed so excited. "Scan says it's going to be a boy." she told her.

Milo smiled and made a mock victory sign, but Martha could tell he was just as happy.

"Great." she replied, sarcastically. "What do I do now, congratulate my kidnappers?" she asked.

Cheen looked shocked.

"Oh, we're not kidnappers." she told her. "Not really."

"Nope." Martha agreed. "You're idiots. You're having a baby, and you're wearing that?" she said, pointing at the token on Cheen's neck. A med student to the end, Martha reached over and ripped it off her neck, ignoring her cry of pain. "Not anymore." Martha said, satisfied.

"This'll be as fast as we can." Milo told her. "We'll take the motorway to the Brooklyn flyover, and then after that it's gonna take awhile, 'cause then there's no fast lane, just ordinary roads, but at least it's direct."

"It's only ten miles." Cheen added.

Martha sighed.

"How long is it gonna take?" she asked the couple.

"About six years." Cheen replied matter of fact-ly.

"What?" Martha screeched.

"Be just in time for him to start school." Cheen replied, exchanging a smile with Milo.

"Nope." Martha protested. "Sorry. Hold on. Six years? Ten miles in six years? How come?" she demanded.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily found themselves in a dilapidated corridor, in front of a door that read 'MOTORWAY ACCESS'.

"Can you do what you did to the other door?" The Doctor asked Lily.

"Not if you ever want to be able to shut it again." she replied. "Vortex powers: good for doing things quickly. Subtlety, not so much."

The Doctor just sighed and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and got to work. A minute later, the lock opened with a clang and the door whooshed open. They quickly ran through to find themselves standing on a platform in a very thick smoke. Almost immediately, both the Doctor and Lily began coughing. A second later they were enclosed in a gold bubble, trying to catch their breath.

"Hey!" they heard a voice call. They looked up to find the car nearest to them had it's door open. A man stood there, motioning to them. "You daft little street struts! What are you doing, standing there? Either get out or get in!" He motioned them over. "Come on!"

The Doctor and Lily exchanged a look and Lily let the shield fall. Both began coughing again and quickly jumped into the car.

"Did you ever see the like?" the man said as he closed the door.

A dark haired woman handed them an oxygen mask, which the Doctor immediately put up to Lily's face. She took a few gulps before forcing it into his hands.

"Just standing there, breathing it in!" the man continued, beginning to remove his goggles, cap, and scarf. "And was that gold thing? Personal shield?"

"Something like that." Lily said weakly.

He finished removing his covers to reveal that he was not a man at all, but a cat.

"There's this story," he told them, "says back in the old days, on Junction Forty-Seven, this woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet!"

"Oh, you're making it up." the woman scolded him.

He waved his hand at her, making his way to the front.

"A fifty-foot head!" he continued, as if she hadn't said anything. "Just think of it. Imagine picking that nose."

"Stop it." the woman demanded. "That's disgusting."

"What?" the man shot back. "Did you never pick your nose?"

Suddenly, all joking fell by the way side.

"Bran, we're moving!" she told him, urgently.

"Right." he replied, springing into action. "I'm there. I'm on it."

He pulled back a lever on the front console and the engines sprang to a sputtering start. All around them, cars blew their horns. A second later, everything stopped again.

"Twenty yards!" the man called to them. "We're having a good day!"

The woman smiled and both turned back to Lily and the Doctor, who was pulling off the mask and forcing it back on Lily's face. He swatted her hand away when she tried to move it.

_Leave it!_ he told her severely.

She glared at him, but made no further moves to remove it.

"And who might you two be?" the man asked them. "Very well-dressed for hitchhikers."

"Thanks." The Doctor said, motioning to the oxygen. "Sorry, I'm the Doctor and this is Lily."

Lily raised her hand and waved.

"Medical man!" the cat man exclaimed. "Ha-ha! My name's Thomas Kincade Brannigan, and this," he pointed to the woman, "this is the bane on my life, the lovely Valerie."

Valerie smiled indulgently.

"Nice to meet you." she told them.

"And that," he gestured behind them, "is the rest of the family."

The Doctor and Lily turned to look behind the curtain and found a basket of adorable kittens.

"Aww," the Doctor said, leaning down to get a closer look. "That's nice. Hello."

"Oh my God." Lily said, her voice muffled by the mask. "They are just the cutest things ever!" She gently reached out and pick one up, cuddling it to her chest. "Yes, you are, aren't you?" she cooed.

"How old are they?" the Doctor asked, marveling at the gentleness of the woman in front of him. Not a half an hour ago, she was roughing up dealers in a back alley and now she was cuddling a kitten.

"Just two months." Valerie said, smiling at the younger woman.

"Poor little souls." Brannigan said sadly. "They've never know the ground beneath their paws." The Doctor gave him a puzzled look, and he elaborated. "Children of the motorway."

"What, they were born in here?" Lily asked, shocked.

"We couldn't stop." Valerie explained. "We heard there were jobs going out in the laundries on Fire Island. Thought we'd take a chance."

The Doctor and Lily exchanged a look as she set down the kitten and removed the oxygen mask.

"What?" the Doctor asked. "You've been driving for two months?"

"Do I look like a teenager?" Brannigan demanded. "We've been driving for twelve years now."

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor sputtered.

"Yeah!" Brannigan answered. "Started out as newlyweds! Feels like yesterday."

"Feels like twelve years to me." Valerie quipped.

"Ahh," Brannigan reached out and tickled her. "Sweetheart, but you're still lovely."

The Doctor and Lily stared at them.

"Twelve years?!" The Doctor demanded. "How far did you come? Where did you start?"

"Battery Park." Brannigan told him. "It's five miles back."

The Doctor and Lily stared at him, incredulous.

"You traveled five miles in twelve years?" Lily asked.

"I think they're a bit slow." Brannigan said to Valerie.

"Where are you from?" She asked them, ignoring her husband.

"Never mind that," The Doctor said, pulling Lily up. "We've got to get out. Our friend's in one of these cars." he explained. "She was taken hostage. We should get back to the TARDIS." he told Lily, who nodded.

He pulled open the door next to him, but found nothing but smoke.

"Um, did I imagine a platform?" Lily asked from behind him. "Cause if I'm dreaming, this is going down in the books as one of the strangest." She got a thoughtful look on her face. "And that's saying something."

"You're too late for that." Brannigan told them. "We've passed the lay-by."

The Doctor began to cough again, so he shut the door.

"You're a passenger now, Sonny Jim." Brannigan continued.

"When's the next lay-by?" The Doctor demanded.

"Oh…" Brannigan thought about it. "Six months?"

"Oh, well…" Lily said, plopping back down. "That's just great."

* * *

"How many cars are out there?" Martha asked, looking out the window again.

"I don't think anyone knows." Cheen replied. She reached behind her and grabbed a cracker and held it out to Martha. "Here you go." she said. "Hungry?"

"Oh." Martha said, looking down at the offered food. "Thanks." She took a bite. "About how far down is it to this fast lane?" she asked.

"Oh, it's right at the bottom, underneath the traffic jam." Milo told her. "But not many people can afford three passengers, so it's empty down there." He grinned at her. "Rumor has it you can reach up to thirty miles per hour."

Martha gave him a sarcastic grin.

"Wow." she gushed. "That's, like, crazy."

Milo and Cheen laughed, not at all offended.

"But how are you supposed to live inside this thing?" Martha asked, looking around at the small car. "It's tiny."

"Oh, we stocked up." Cheen told her. "Got self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulants for exercise, and there's a chemical toilet at the back. And all waste products are recycled as food."

Martha suddenly stopped munching and gave the wafer an evil look.

"Oh-kay." she said slowly, dropping the wafer as if it were on fire.

"Oh!" Milo exclaimed. "Another gap! This is brilliant!"

"CAR SIGN IN." an electronic voice said.

Milo picked up a radio and answered.

"Car Four Six Diamond Six, on descent to fast lane, thank you very much."

"PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY." the voice answered.

* * *

The Doctor was kneeling in front of a screen baring the insignia of the New New York Police Dpartment. He was trying to get it to work using the sonic screwdriver. Lily was pacing behind him in the limited space.

"Oh move!" Lily finally said, pointing a finger at the screen.

The Doctor leaped up and grabbed her hand, pointing it at the floor.

_We want it to work, not destroy it._ he told her sternly.

_I want to destroy it._ she replied petulantly.

"Lily…" he rebuked out loud.

She glared at him.

"Fine." she finally relented, returning to her pacing, neither one noticed the car's other occupants starring at them.

"I need to talk to the police." The Doctor said into the handheld, kneeling back in front of the screen.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL. YOU HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD." an electronic voice told them, while displaying the words on the screen as well.

"Oh yes." Lily said, sarcastically. "That's so very helpful."

"But you're the police!" The Doctor said.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL. YOU HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD." the voice repeated.

Lily leaned over his shoulder.

"Now can I destroy it?" she asked.

The Doctor scrambled to the front of the car.

"Is there anyone else?" he asked. "I once met the Duke of Manhattan; is there anyway of getting through to him?"

"Oh, now," Brannigan said, "ain't you lordly?"

"I've got to find our friend." The Doctor said, desperate.

"You can't make outside calls." Valerie told him. "The motorway's completely enclosed."

"What about the other cars?" Lily asked suddenly. "What?" she asked when the Doctor gave her a look. "I can be helpful, too."

"Oh, we've got contact with them, yeah." Brannigan answered. "Well, some of them, anyway. They've got to be on your friends list." He thought about it for a second. "Now, let's see-who's nearby? Ahh! The Cassini sisters!"

He picked up the handheld and began speaking.

"Still your hearts, my handsome girls." he said. "It's Brannigan here."

"Get off the line, Brannigan." A voice came back. "You're a pest and a menace."

"Oh, come on, now, sisters." he replied. "Is that any way to talk to an old friend?"

"You know full well we're not sisters." the voice replied. "We're married."

"Oooo, stop that modern talk!" he said, laughing. "I'm an old-fashioned cat. Now, I've got some hitchhikers here, call themselves Lily and the Doctor."

He handed the handheld to the Doctor.

"Hello." he said. "Sorry. I'm looking for someone called Martha Jones. She's been carjacked. She's inside one of these vehicles, but I don't know which one."

"Wait a minute." another voice said.

"Exactly, who are these people?" Lily asked quietly.

"Alice Cassini was the first one you talked to." Valerie told her. "But May's the one you really want to talk to."

"Could I ask, what entrance did they use?" the second voice-May-asked.

"Where are we?" The Doctor asked Brannigan.

"Pharmacy Town." he answered.

"Pharmacy Town," the Doctor relayed, "about twenty minutes ago."

"Let's have a look." May said.

"Just my luck," Alice muttered, "to marry a car spotter."

Lily leaned over the Doctor and spoke into the handheld.

"If it makes you feel better, I had a crazy person." she told the other woman.

"In the last half hour," May interrupted, "fifty-three new cars joined from the Pharmacy Town Junction."

"Anything more specific?" The Doctor asked.

"All in good time." May replied. "Was she car-jacked by two people?"

"Yes, she was." The Doctor answered.

"There we are." May said. "Just one of those cars was destined for the fast lane. That means they had three on board. And car number is four six five diamond six."

"That's it!" The Doctor said, grabbing Lily in a tight hug. "So how do we find them?" he asked.

"Ah." May replied. "Now, there I'm afraid I can't help."

"Call them on this thing." Lily said. "We've got their number. Diamond six."

Brannigan shook his head.

"Don't shake your head." Lily said, desperately. "Why are you shaking your head? Stop shaking your head."

"We can't call them, not if they're designated fast lane." he told them. "It's a different class."

"You could try the police." May said.

"They put me on hold." The Doctor replied.

"You'll have to keep trying." Alice told them. "There's no one else."

"Thank you." The Doctor said despondently.

He handed the transmitter back to Brannigan.

"Great." Lily said. "Just great."

A/N: Second chapter of Gridlock. Someone asked me if this was eventually going to be Lily/Doctor, and the answer is yes. But, never fear, this will not be a "he meets her and they fall instantly in love" kind of story. These are two people who have lost the person they loved most and have nothing left but each other. They need a reason to open themselves up to that kind of risk again and it'll take time to get there. But yes, I hope to bring them together eventually. Anyway, let me know what you think.

Abbey


	29. Gridlock: In a NNY Minute

Disclaimer: I own a copy of all the soundtracks. Does that count?

Ch.29:

Through the beeping and the honking and the smoke, Car Four Six Five Diamond Six descended through the levels. Level 39...level 40...level 41...level 42...level 43...

"See?" Milo said. "Another ten layers to go. We're scorching."

Martha smiled. Suddenly, a low growl shook the car.

"What's that?" Martha asked as it sounded again. "It's coming from underneath."

"It's the noise, isn't it?" Cheen asked Milo. "It's like Kate said. The stories are true."

"What stories?" Martha asked.

"It's the sound of the air vents." Milo said, exasperated. "That's all. The exhaust fumes travel down, so at the base of the they've got air vents."

Cheen shook her head.

"No, the stories are much better." she said. "They say people go missing on the motorway." she told Martha. "Some cars just vanish, never to be seen again. 'Cause there's something living down there, in the smoke. Something huge. And hungry. And if you get lost on the road…it'd waiting for you."

The all exchanged looks as the noise got louder.

"But like I said," Milo said, shifting in his seat, "air vents." He pressed some controls.

"Going down to the next layer." he said, but Martha was growing more worried.

"Except," she said, "look out there. Does it look like the air vents are working?"

"No." Cheen said slowly.

The sounds were still getting louder and now there was crashing.

"So what's that, then?" Martha whispered.

Milo shook his head.

"Nah. Kid stuff."

He picked up the handheld.

"Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, on descent."

* * *

"We've got to go to the fast lane." The Doctor said. "Take us down."

"Not in a million years." Brannigan said, firmly.

"You've got four passengers! More than enough!" he protested.

"I'm still not going." he replied.

"She's alone and she's lost." Lily pleaded with him. "She doesn't belong on this planet, and it's all our fault."

"No, it's my fault." The Doctor interrupted. "I'm asking you, Brannigan-take me down."

"That's a no." Valerie said, speaking for the first time. "And that's final. I'm not risking the children down there."

"Why not?" The Doctor asked. "What's the risk? What happens down there?"

"We're not discussing it!" she replied. "The conversation is closed!"

"So we keep on driving." Lily said.

"Yes, we do." Brannigan told her.

"For how long?" The Doctor asked.

"'Till the journey's end." he replied.

The Doctor snatched the handheld up.

"Mrs. Cassini, this is the Doctor." he said. "Tell me, how long have you been driving on the motorway?"

"Oh, we were amongst the first." Alice told him. "It's been twenty-three years now."

"And in all that time, have you ever seen a police car?" he asked.

Brannigan and Valerie refused to look at them and the question was met with silence on the other end.

"I'm not sure." May finally said.

"Look at your notes." he told her. "Any police?"

"Not as such." May said, clearly upset.

"Or an ambulance? Rescue service? Anything official? Ever?" he pushed on.

"I can't keep note of everything." she told him.

"What if there's no one out there?" The Doctor asked.

Brannigan angrily snatched the handheld away from him.

"Stop it." he said. "The Cassinis were doing you a favor."

"Someone's got to ask." Lily said softly.

"You might not talk about it," the Doctor continued, "but it's there. In your eyes." He stared at Brannigan. "What if the traffic jam never stops?"

"There's a whole city above us." Brannigan told him. "The mighty city-state of New New York. They wouldn't just leave us."

"In that case, where are they?" The Doctor shot back. "Hmm? What if there's no help coming not ever? What if there's nothing? Just the motorway, with the cars going round and round and round, never stopping? Forever?"

"Shut up!" Valerie yelled. "Just shut up!"

Just then the screen lit up. The news was back.

"This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again." the blonde woman said. "The sun is blazing high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation."

"You think you know us so well, Doctor." Brannigan told him. "But we're not abandoned. Not while we have each other."

He and Valerie exchanged a sad smile.

"This is for all of you out there on the roads." Sally continued. "We're so sorry. Drive safe."

The Doctor and Lily watched with something akin to horror as all around them, the cars began to sing.

"On a hill, far away  
Stood an old, rugged cross  
The emblem of suffering and shame  
And I love that old cross  
Where the dearest and best  
For a world of lost sinners was slain  
So I'll cherish the old, rugged cross, rugged cross  
Till my trophies at last I lay down, I lay down  
I will cling to the old rugged cross, rugged cross  
And exchange it someday for a crown."

* * *

A tear slipped down Martha's face as the song came to an end.

"FAST LANE ACCESS, PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY." the electronic voice said.

"We made it." Milo breathed, sharing a smile with Cheen. "The fast lane."

* * *

"If you won't take me, I'll go down on my own." The Doctor announced.

"_We'll_ go." Lily corrected him, but he shook his head.

"I need you to stay here." he told her.

"I can keep you safe better than anything." she argued.

"You're also the only other person who can figure out what's going on." he replied. He reached out and held her cheek in his hand. "Please don't fight me on this."

_I can't worry about you and Martha at the same time. Please just stay here. _he told her.

"Doctor…" she weakly pleaded. Finally she nodded.

He sighed and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Let me know if anything happens." he told her, tapping her temple. She nodded and he kneeled down to open the bottom hatch.

"What do you think you're doing?" Brannigan demanded.

"Finding my own way." The Doctor replied. "I usually do."

"CAPSULE OPEN." said an electronic voice.

Valerie and Brannigan watched in horror as the Doctor sat on the edge and got ready to jump to the car below them.

"Here we go." he said, pulling off his coat. He handed it to Lily, who pulled it on over her own jacket. "Look after that." he told her. "I love that coat."

"I'm aware, Doctor." Lily told him patiently.

"Janis Joplin gave me that coat." he stressed.

Lily just shook her head.

"But you can't jump!" Valerie told him.

"If it's any consolation, Valerie," he told her. "Right now, I'm having kittens."

"I'll protect you from the smoke for as long as I can," Lily told him, "but I have no idea what the range on this thing is."

He just nodded.

"This Martha-" Brannigan said, "she must mean an awful lot to you."

"Hardly know her." The Doctor replied. "I was too busy showing off." He refused to meet their eyes. "And I lied to her. Couldn't help it, just lied."

"We both did." Lily said, making him look at her. "Bring her back so we can set it right."

He nodded and took a deep breath just as a gold wall appeared around him.

"Bye then!" he said and jumped out.

"He's completely insane!" Valerie said, watching him go.

"That," Brannigan agreed, "and a bit magnificent."

"He's the Doctor." Lily said simply.

_Stay safe._ she sent after him.

* * *

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to open the top of the car he had just landed on. He dropped in to find a very pale man in a white suit.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked him.

"Sorry," the Doctor said, "Motorway Foot Patrol. I'm doing a survey. How are you enjoying you motorway?"

Without pausing to listen, he leaned down and began opening the hatch.

"Well, not very much." the man told him. "Junction Five's been closed for three years!"

"Thank you. Your comments have been noted. Have a nice day!" The Doctor said before jumping out again.

The next car contained two very startled Asian girls. He noticed the shield was getting paler and more smoke was getting through. Spotting a bandana, he held it up.

"Do you mind if I borrow this?" he asked. "Not my color, but thank you very much."

He jumped into the next car to find the occupants completely naked.

"Oh! Don't mind me!"

The next one held a large red man.

And down he went, each car closer to Martha.

* * *

Martha, Milo, and Cheen stared dejectedly at the screen that said BROOKLYN JUNCTION.

"Try again." Cheen said.

Milo reached out and tapped EXIT 1. Instantly a message popped up saying 'JUNCTION CLOSED'.

"BROOKLY TURNOFF ONE CLOSED." a voice told them.

"Try the next one." Cheen urged.

"BROOKLYN TURNOFF TWO CLOSED."

Cheen moaned.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"We'll keep going round." Milo told her calmly. "We'll do the whole loop. By the time we come back round, they'll be open."

Once again, they heard the noise.

"You're still calling that air vents?" Martha asked.

"What else could it be?" Milo shot back.

The same noise.

"What the hell is that?" Cheen asked, starting to panic.

"It's just…the hydraulics." Milo said, obviously not even believing it himself.

"Sounds like it's…alive." Martha said.

"It's all exhaust fumes out there." Milo told her. "Nothing could breathe in that."

"CALLING CAR FOUR SIX FIVE DIAMOND SIX." the electronic voice said. "REPEAT, CALLING CAR FOUR SIX FIVE DIAMOND SIX."

Milo grabbed the handheld.

"This is Car Four Six Five Diamond Six." he said. "Who's that? Where are you?"

"I'm in the fast lane about fifty yards behind." a voice on the other end told them. "Can you get back up? Can you get off the fast lane?"

"We only have permission to go down." Milo told her. "We-we need the Brooklyn Flyover."

"It's closed." she told him. "Go back up."

"We can't." Milo replied. "We'll just go round."

"Don't you understand?" she shouted. "They're closed! They're always closed!"

Cheen covered her mouth, seeming on the verge of hyperventilating.

"We're stuck down here." the other woman continued. "And there's something else. Out there in the fog. Can't you hear it?"

"That's the air vents." Milo told her.

"Jehovah!" the voice swore. "What are you, some stupid kid? Get out here!"

Suddenly, screaming rang out from the other end.

"What was that?" Milo shouted.

"I can't move!" the voice shouted back. "They've got us!"

"But what's happening?" Milo shouted.

Martha grabbed the transmitter from him.

"What's got you?" she shouted. "What is it?"

More screaming came through.

"Hello?" Milo called.

"Just drive, you idiots!" she shouted. "Get out of here! Get out!"

"Can you hear me?!" Milo yelled. "Hello?!"

"Just drive!" Martha shouted at him. "Do what she said-get us out of here!"

"But where?" Milo asked.

"Just straight ahead!" Martha told him. "And fast!"

"What is it?" Cheen sobbed. "What's out there? What is it?"

* * *

The Doctor opened the hatched and jumped into the next car. He found a man in a suit and a bowler hat.

"'Scuse me," he demanded, "is that legal?"

"Sorry," The Doctor said, coughing. Lily's power had long since disappeared. "Motorway-cough-Foot-cough-Patrol-cough-cough-Whatever. Have you got any water?" he asked.

"Certainly." the man replied reaching over to a cooler. "Never let it be said I've lost my manners."

He handed a cup of water to the Doctor, who drained it.

"Is this the last layer?" he asked the man.

"Ah, we're right at the bottom." he replied. "Nothing below us but the fast lane."

"Can we drive down?" The Doctor asked.

"There's only two of us." the man told him. "You need three to go down."

"Couldn't we just cheat?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, I'd love to," the man replied, "but it's an automated system. The wheel would lock."

"If you'll excuse me." The Doctor said before walking to the bottom hatch.

"You can't jump." the man shouted. "It's a thousand feet down!"

"No," the Doctor replied, "I just want to look."

Below them was a thick, murky fog, dotted with hundreds of tiny lights. They heard a distant roar.

"What's that noise?" The Doctor wanted to know.

"I try not to think about it." The man wanted to know.

_Is it my imagination, or do they try not to think about a lot of things here?_ Lily had been following him all the way down. It may have been too far for her to protect him, but they could still talk.

"What are those lights?" The Doctor asked. "What's down there?"

He started coughing again, waving a hand in front of his face to try to clear the smoke away from him.

"I need to see." he said, talking to himself.

He suddenly ran to the front screen.

"There must be some sort of ventilation." he muttered. "If I could just transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a bit of a breeze."

* * *

Back in Brannigan and Valerie's car, the three passengers looked up as sparks begin to fly from the ceiling.

"Just what we need-" Brannigan moaned, "pirates!"

"I'm calling the police!" Valerie said.

"Load of good that'll do you." Lily muttered, her hand glowing as she got ready to blow away whatever came through.

The door fell down and in came another cat in a nun's habit, holding a gun.

"The Doctor." the cat nun demanded. "Where is he?"

"Give me one reason I shouldn't blast you?" Lily shot back, not willing to risk setting off that gun unless she had to.

"Lily Carter?" the cat asked.

"How do you know who I am?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"He said you'd be here." she replied. "He said to tell you to follow your power, that it'll lead you to him."

"You work for the other one." Lily said. "The one like me."

"Yes." the other replied. "And he wants you to come to him. Now please tell me where the Doctor is."

Lily finally lowered her hand.

"He went down." she told her. "He on the very bottom level."

"Thank you." the cat said before opening the bottom hatch and jumping to the next car.

_Stay where you are, Doctor. _Lily told him. _Someone's coming to see you._

_Who?_ he asked.

_I don't know, but she seems to know you. And she works for the other one._ she told him. _He wants me to come to him._

_Is it safe?_ the Doctor asked.

_I think so. Just concentrate on finding Martha. _

_Stay safe._

_You too._

"Brannigan, Valerie, I have to go." she said aloud.

"How?" he asked her. "Are you going to jump too?"

Lily chuckled.

"No I'm afraid my mode of transport is a lot more disturbing."

With that, she smiled and disappeared in a flash of gold.

Brannigan and Valerie stared at the place where Lily had been.

"She's right." he said finally. "That is a lot more disturbing."

* * *

Lily appeared in a large empty room with wires running everywhere.

"Hello, Lily." a deep voice called.

Now that she was close by, she knew who she was dealing with. This was someone she was intimately familiar with.

She turned to see a giant face in a protective tank, hooked up to many wires.

"Hello, Jack. Long time no see."

A/N: Ch. 3 of Gridlock done. Three chapters in two days. You guys should be seriously impressed. In fact you should review and tell me all about it.

Abbey


	30. Gridlock: New New York State of Mind

Disclaimer: Does anyone actually read these? Because, if not, I own everything and demand that the royalties be sent to me immediately. If they do, I guess you can keep the royalties

Ch.30:

Lily stood there silently for a minute or two.

"So," she finally said, moving to kneel in front of the tank. "How ya been?"

The Face of Boe chuckled weakly.

"Keeping a city alive with my life force," he told her. "and you?"

She shrugged.

"Can't complain." she said, serious for a moment before softly laughing. "I've missed a Jack who knows me well enough to joke with me." she told him.

"As happy as I am to see you, Lily, perhaps you should call me by the name the Doctor knows me as." he told her.

Lily huffed.

"But the 'Face of Boe' is such a mouthful." she whined.

He chuckled again.

"Oh, how I have missed you." he told her. "And I am sorry for the mouthful, because we all know how much you dislike talking, but it really is for the best."

"Fine." she huffed. "But I'm calling you Face, like the old A-team show."

"As you wish." he said solemnly, but there was more than a hint of humor in the giant eyes.

"So, 'Face', you were the one I felt when I arrived, right?" she asked, standing up and looking around. "And you've been using the vortex to power the city?" She turned back to look at him, hands on her hips. "And you're dying, for real this time?"

"Correct on all accounts." he replied.

Lily nodded and began taking off the Doctor's coat and then her jacket, laying both on the ground. She rolled up the sleeves of her long sleeved t-shirt and turned back around.

"Tell me what to do."

* * *

The man in the suit starred on in horror as the Doctor destroyed the wiring beneath his screen.

"That's it!" The Doctor exclaimed. He got up and ran back to the bottom hatch. "Might sift the fumes a bit, give us a good look."

The two men waited as the fog cleared enough to let them see what was below them.

"What are those shapes?" the man asked.

As he asked this, the fading smoke revealed huge, snapping claws.

"They're alive." The Doctor said softly.

_Can I see? _Lily asked.

The Doctor let her in so she could see what he was seeing.

_Holy crap._

_Very elegantly put._

_Bite me._

"What the hell are they?" the man asked.

'They' seemed to be giant crabs and the lights they had seen were their eyes.

"Macra." the Doctor replied simply.

_Again, I repeat, Holy Crap._

_Shut up._

_Right._

* * *

Milo and Cheen's car was shaking even worse now and everyone was panicking.

"Go faster!" Cheen screamed.

"I'm at top speed!" Milo yelled back.

"NO ACCESS ABOVE." the electronic voice told them with the message PROXIMITY WARNING appearing on the screen.

"But this is an emergency!" Milo yelled into the transmitter.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL." the voice replied. "YOU HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD."

"Turn everything off!" Martha yelled.

Milo turned and stared at her.

"You've got to be joking!" he yelled back.

"No," she replied, "listen, it's all fog out there, so how can they see us? Maybe it's the engines, the sound, or the heat, or the light-I don't know! Turn everything off! They might not be able to find us!"

"What if you're wrong?" Milo demanded.

"It can't be worse than this!" Martha shot back. "Just do it!"

Milo waited a second before switching off everything. The console went dark and the shaking subsided.

"They've stopped." Cheen whispered.

"Yeah, but they're still out there." Milo replied.

"How did you think of that?" Cheen asked Martha.

"I saw it on a film." Martha replied. It would've been funny if they weren't so terrified. "They used to do it in submarines. Trouble is, I can't remember what they did next."

"Well, you better think of something," Milo told her, "because we've lost the aircon. If we don't switch the engines back on, we won't be able to breath."

"How long have we got?" she asked.

Milo sighed.

"Eight minutes, maximum." he told them.

Cheen began to cry, softly.

* * *

The Doctor was leaning back on his haunches, watching the Macra.

"The Macra used to be the scourge of this galaxy." he told his companion. "Gas. They fed off gas, the filthier, the better. They built up a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food."

"They don't exactly look like empire-builders to me." the man replied.

"Well, that was millions of years ago. Billions." the Doctor explained. "They must've devolved down the years and now they're just beasts." he sighed. "But they're still hungry and my friend's down there."

They both looked up as the top hatch of the car popped open.

"Oh, it's like New Times Square in here, for goodness's sake!" the man complained.

Feet appeared and the cat nun dropped into the car.

"I've invented a sport!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Doctor," the nun said when she spotted him, "you're a hard man to find."

"No guns!" the man said, pointing to the one in her hands. "I'm not having guns!"

"I only brought this in case of pirates." she told him before turning back to the Doctor. "Doctor, you've got to come with me."

"Do I know you?" he asked, studying her face.

"You haven't aged at all." she said in wonder. "Time has been less kind to me."

"Novice Hame!" he exclaimed, grabbing her in a hug.

"No, hold on, get off." he said, pulling away. "Last time we met, you were breeding humans for experimentation."

Hame looked down, ashamed.

"I've sought forgiveness, Doctor," she told him, "for so many years, under his guidance. And if you come with me, I might finally be able to redeem myself."

The Doctor shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere." he told her. "You've got Macra living underneath this city. Macra! And if my friend's still alive, she's stuck down there!"

"You've got to come with me right now!" Hame demanded.

"No, no, no, you're coming with me." he told her. "We've got three passengers now."

"I'm sorry, Doctor." she told him. "But the situation is even worse than you can imagine."

Without another word, she grabbed his wrist and pressed a button on the bracelet she was wearing.

"Transport." she said.

"Don't you dare!" the Doctor yelled. "Don't you dare!"

But it was too late. They disappeared in a flash of light before he could do anything.

He found himself laying on a dusty floor in not a inconsiderable amount of pain.

"Oh!" he moaned. "Rough teleport. Ow." he collected himself and rounded on her. "But you can go straight back down and teleport people out, starting with Martha."

"I only had the power for one trip." she told him.

"Then get some more!" he yelled. "Where are we?"

"High above," she answered, "in the over-city."

"Good!" he said. "'Cause you can tell the Senate of New New York I'd like a word. They've got thousands of people trapped on the motorway! Millions!"

"But you're inside the Senate, right now." she told him softly. "May the goddess, Santori, bless them."

The Doctor looked around for the first time and realized there were hundreds of skeletons all around them.

"They died, Doctor." she continued. "The city died."

"How long's it been like this?" he asked quietly, the fight in him all but gone.

"Twenty-four years." she said.

"All of them?" he asked. "Everyone? What happened?"

"A new chemical." she told him. "A new mood. They called it Bliss."

She knelt next to the nearest body and picked up a token that had the word BLISS emblazoned on it.

"Everyone tried it." she continued. "They couldn't stop. A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything perished-even the virus, in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat. There was just enough time to close down the walkways and the flyovers, sealing off the under-city. Those people on the mortorway aren't lost, Doctor." she told him. "They were saved."

"So they whole thing down there is running on automatic?" The Doctor asked her.

She nodded.

"There's not enough power to get them out." she replied. "We did all we could to stop the system from choking."

"Who's 'we'?" he asked. "How did you survive?"

"He protected me." she said with a smile. "And he has waited for you, these long years."

"Doctor." a low rumbling voice called.

The Doctor turned and dashed into the next room to find Lily, covered in wires, sitting next to the Face of Boe.

"Doctor!" she shouted, untangling herself and running to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "Thank God you're here." she whispered. Before he could stop her, her hand snaked into his pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver.

"This will make things so much easier." she said before plopping herself back down in the middle of the wires.

"Hello to you too." he said before kneeling in front of the Face of Boe.

"The Face of Boe." he whispered, laying a hand on the glass.

"I knew you would come." the giant said.

"Back in the old days," Hame said, "I was made his nurse, as penance for my sins."

"Old friend, what's happened to you?" the Doctor asked softly.

"Failing." he replied.

"He protected me from the virus by shrouding me in his smoke." Hame told the Doctor. "But with no one to maintain it, the City's power died. The under-city would have fallen into the sea."

"So he saved them." he said softly.

"The Face of Boe wired himself into the mainframe." Hame explained. "He's giving his life force just to keep things running."

"But there are planets out there." The Doctor protested. "You could have called for help."

Hame shook her head.

"The last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe. The automatic quarantine lasts for one hundred years." she replied.

"So the two of you stayed here-" the Doctor said, getting to his feet. "on your own, for all these years."

"We had no choice." she replied.

The Doctor reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes," he said, "you did."

"As touching as this is," Lily said suddenly from the floor, "I'm trying to save a city over here. Could I get some help?"

* * *

The car was silent and still and hopelessness seemed like a tangible thing.

"How much air's left?" Cheen asked weakly.

Milo glance at a clock.

"Two minutes."

"There's always the Doctor…and Lily." Martha said without much conviction. "Those friends of mine. They might think of something."

"Martha," Milo said, "no one's coming."

Cheen smiled sadly.

"That man, The Doctor, he looked kind of nice." she said.

"He's a bit more than that." Martha said with the slightest trace of humor.

"Are you and him…?" Cheen asked her.

"Sometimes I think he likes me," she replied, "but sometimes I just think he needs someone with him." She sighed. "And then there's always Lily."

"So she and him are, then?" Cheen asked again.

Martha shook her head.

"No, it's almost like they need each other so desperately that they can't function without the other." she told her. "I mean, you should see them together. It's like watching one being. The way they always know when the other is upset or in danger." She chuckled without any humor. "It's like they can read each other's minds."

They let the conversation trail off.

"I never even asked." Cheen said suddenly. "Where's home?"

"It's a long way away." Martha told her. "I didn't really think I just followed the Doctor, and…they don't even know where I am." she said, realizing for the first time. "If I died here, they'd never know."

"So, um, who are they, then?" Milo asked. "This Doctor and Lily."

"I don't know." Martha admitted. "Well, not really. There's so much they never say."

They all looked at each other.

"Well, that's no use!" Cheen said, horrified.

"It is, though," Martha assured them, "because you haven't seen the things they can do. Honestly, just trust me, both of you. You've got your faith, you've got your songs and your hymns. And I've got them. The Doctor and Lily."

"Right." Milo said. And with that, he turned the car back on.

"SYSTEMS BACK ON LINE." their electric friend said.

"Good luck." Milo said.

"And you." Martha replied.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily were huddled around a screen and the Doctor had broken out the brainy specs.

"Car Four Six Five Diamond Six-" he said pointing to the screen, "it still registers! That's Martha!"

"I told you she was good." Lily said smugly.

"Novice Hame, hold that in place." he called.

He handed her a piece of thick tubing before running off, Lily on his heels.

"Think, think, think." he said. "Take residual energy, invert it, feed it through the electricity beds."

"There isn't enough power!" Hame called.

The Doctor reached his destination. He now stood in front of a wall with two screens, lots of wires, and even more buttons.

"Ah, but you've got power!" he called back. "You've got me! I'm brilliant with computers, just you watch."

"And you've got me." Lily added, holding up a hand that was glowing gold.

The Doctor smiled at her.

"Hame, every switch on that bank, up to maximum!" he called.

The Doctor fiddled with a knob on the floor, aiming the sonic screwdriver at it as well, while Lily made her way over to The Face of Boe.

"I can't power up the city," he said, "but all the city needs is people."

He hit the console before jumping up.

"So what are you going to do?" Hame asked him.

"This!"

The Doctor flipped a giant switch on the floor and all the lights on the consoles went out.

"No, no, no no no no no!" he yelled. "The transformers are blocked. The signal can't get through!"

"Doctor…" the Face of Boe called.

"Yeah, hold on, not now." the Doctor called back, distracted.

"I give you my last…" he replied.

Lily reached her hand in and suddenly they both glowed gold. Everything once again sprang to life and Lily collapsed next to the tank.

"Hame, look after them!" The Doctor called. "Don't you go dying on me, you big old face. You've got to see this. And if you manage to kill yourself, Lily girl, I'll bring you back and kill you again."

"Yeah, yeah." she called weakly as Hame helped her sit up.

The Doctor flipped the giant switch again.

"The open road." he yelled. "Hah!"

* * *

A loud crack and bang rang out and Brannigan and Valerie looked around in wonder.

"What in Jehovah was that?" he asked.

"It's coming from above!" Valerie exclaimed.

"What is it?" he asked. "What's happening?!"

Valerie quickly covered the kittens.

"By all the cats in the kingdom!" Brannigan gasped.

They could see gaps beginning to form in the ceiling above them.

"What is it?" Valerie asked.

Suddenly, sunlight hit her face and she shielded her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked again.

Brannigan began to laugh like crazy. All the doors were open.

"It's the sun!" Valerie breathed. "Oh, Brannigan!"

She briefly reached out to him before pulling the blanket off the kittens.

"Children," she said. "it's the sunlight."

Suddenly the monitor sprang to life.

"Sorry," the Doctor said, "no Sally Calypso, she was just a hologram. My name's the Doctor."

"He's a magician." Brannigan said, happily.

"And this is an order." he continued. "Everyone drive up. Right now."

"Is he serious?" Brannigan asked.

Valerie just laughed in stunned disbelief.

"I've opened the roof of the motorway." the Doctor said. "Come on. Throttle those engines. Drive up. All of you, the whole under-city. Drive up, drive up, drive up! Fast!"

"Here we go." Brannigan said, following the Doctor's orders.

"We've got to clear that fast lane." the Doctor told them. "Drive up and get out of the way."

The Doctor was on in Martha's car too.

"Oy!" he called. "Car Four Six Five Diamond Six! Martha! Drive up!"

"That's the Doctor!" Martha yelled excitedly.

"We can't go up!" Milo protested. "We'll hit the layer!"

"Just do as he says!" Martha ordered. "Go up!"

"You've got access above!" the Doctor told them. "Now go!"

Milo did as he was told and the three of them stared at wonder at the sunlight hitting their faces.

"It's daylight!" Cheen exclaimed. "Oh my God. That's the sky, the real sky!"

"He did it!" Martha yelled before giving Cheen a tight hug. "I told you, he did it!"

Back in Brannigan's car, they were celebrating.

"Did I tell you, Doctor?" he yelled. "You're not bad, sir. You're not bad at all!"

* * *

Back in the Senate, the Doctor watched it all unfold on a screen with a microphone in his hand. Lily stiffly walked over and slipped her hand in his free one.

"You keep driving, Brannigan, all the way up! 'Cause it's here, just waiting for you." he said. He walked over to the window, pulling Lily with him. "The city of New New York. And it's yours."

Lily walked back to the Face of Boe and sank back to the ground.

"And don't forget-" the Doctor said. "I want that coat back."

"I've got here!" Lily called. "So shut up about the damn coat."

They heard Brannigan laugh over the speakers.

"Then come say goodbye." The Doctor amended.

"I reckon we will, sir." Brannigan agreed.

"And Car Four Six Five Diamond Six," the Doctor called, "I've sent you a flight path. Come to the Senate."

"Doctor!" Hame called.

The Doctor turned to find her and Lily staring in horror as the case encloses the Face of Boe began to crack.

* * *

Martha ran into the Senate room to be brought up to a skeleton, which she found more than a little disturbing.

"Doctor? Lily?" she called.

"Over here." she heard the Doctor call. She walked into the next room. Lily ran to her and gave her a tight hug which she gratefully returned.

"Oh thank God." Lily breathed, holding her friend tightly.

"What happened here?" She asked when Lily finally let her go. She took in the Doctor, who was kneeling with Novice Hame in front of the Face of Boe, and Lily's tear streaked face.

"What's that?" she asked moving over hesitantly."

"It's the Face of Boe." the Doctor told her. "It's all right. Come and say hello."

Lily caught her glance at Hame.

"That's Hame." Lily told her. "She's a cat. Don't worry."

"He's the one that saved you, not us." the Doctor told her.

"My lord gave his life to save the city." Hame added.

Martha came and kneeled next to the Doctor while Lily moved to kneel right next the Face of Boe. She laid a hand on his forehead, the tears pouring down her cheeks.

"And now he's dying." Hame continues.

"No!" Lily said viciously. "Don't say that! Not him. He has plenty of life left."

"Lily…" the Face of Boe said weakly. "Don't…It's good to…breathe…the air once more…"

"Who is he?" Martha asked.

The Doctor shrugged.

"I don't even know." he said. He didn't notice Lily look away. "Legend says the Face of Boe has lived for billions of years, isn't that right?" He smiled at him. "And you're not about to give up now."

"Everything has it's time…" The Face of Boe replied. "You know that…old friend…better than most…"

"You can't leave, Face." Lily said, crying even harder. "Not when I've just found you. It's not fair."

"The legend says more." Hame said.

"Don't." the Doctor said. "There's no need for that."

"It says that the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveller." she continued.

"Yeah, but not yet." Lily said, glaring at her. "Who needs secrets, huh?"

"I have seen so much." The Face of Boe said. "Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind-as you and Lily are the last of yours, Doctor."

"That's why we have to survive." he told him, desperate. "The three of us. Don't go."

"I must." The Face of Boe replied. "But know this, Time Lords. You are not alone."

And with that, the Face of Boe closed his eyes for the last time.

The Doctor starred at him while Lily laid her head against him and sobbed, Novice Hame joining her. A second later, Martha was the first to stand, followed by the Doctor. He went to Lily and rested his hand on her shoulder. She looked up and he saw her face was red with tears.

"Time to go, Lily girl." he said softly, pulling her to her feet. She stood and looked at her friend one last time before allowing him to lead her out. He wrapped his arm around Martha, and the three time travelers left.

* * *

The three of them found themselves back in the alley where it had all begun. It was deserted.

"All closed down." The Doctor said.

"Happy?" Martha asked.

"Happy happy." he replied.

Martha laughed softly while Lily just wrapped her arms tighter around herself.

"New New York can start again." he told them. "And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs-cats in charge! Come on, time we were off."

He began to stroll off, Lily following behind, but Martha stayed put.

"But what did he mean?" she called. "The Face of Boe?" The Doctor stopped and turned around, but Lily remained resolutely facing the other way. "'Your not alone'."

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted.

"You've got me." she said, moving closer. "Is that what he meant?"

The Doctor shook his head, his mouth twitching as if he was trying not to laugh at her.

"I don't think so." he told her. "Sorry."

Martha huffed.

"Then what?" she asked.

"Doesn't matter." he replied. "Back to the TARDIS, off we go."

He turned and walked off again, but this time both Martha and Lily remained where they were. Martha grabbed a fallen chair and sat down on it.

The Doctor heard it and turned back around, looking at the two of them.

"All right, you staying? Both of you?" he asked, annoyed.

_Lily…?_

She just shook her head, tears falling again.

"Till you talk to me properly," Martha replied, "yes. He said 'last of your kind'. What does that mean?"

"It really doesn't matter." The Doctor told her.

"You don't talk!" Martha said, finally losing it. "You never say! Either one of you! Why not?"

Suddenly a new sound reached them. The city was singing.

**Fast falls the eventide…**

"It's the city." Lily whispered.

**The darkness deepens…**

"They're singing." Martha said.

**Lord, with me abide…**

"Doctor, she deserves to know." Lily told him softly. "We said we'd set it right."

**When other helpers fail…**

He stared at Lily and began talking.

"I lied to you," he said, not looking anywhere but Lily, "'cause I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky."

Martha stared at him, shocked.

"We're not just Time Lords." he told her. "We're the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else."

Martha shook her head slightly.

"What happened?" she asked.

The Doctor sighed and grabbed a chair and putting it down in front of her. Lily remained where she was, still not looking at them.

"There was a war." he told her simply. "A Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost, everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh you should have seen it, that old planet." He smiled at her. "The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song."

"So that's it then?" Martha asked. "You two were the only ones to escape?"

"No." Lily said suddenly.

"Lily…" the Doctor said.

She turned to face them. They could see how upset she was.

"No." she repeated. "If we're going to tell her, we're going to tell her everything,"

"What else is there?" Martha asked.

"She won't understand." The Doctor protested.

"So?" Lily shot back. "She deserves the chance."

She took a deep breath and turned to Martha.

"I know you, Martha Jones." she told her. "Better than you think. I know you have a brother named Leo, who has a little girl, and a sister named Tish. I know you went in to Medicine because you wanted to feel like your life had meaning. I watched you die."

Martha stared at her in shock.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly.

"I escaped from Gallifrey, but not the one the Doctor escaped from." she replied. "I was just a child when the Time War broke out and my parents were soldiers on the front lines. When they decided that the war couldn't be won, they snuck back and took me away. I didn't grow up in fields of red grass and forests of silver trees like the Doctor did. I grew up on Earth, as a human, with not a clue as to I was. Then I met the Doctor, but not this Doctor. My Doctor showed me a whole world I had only dreamed of and he loved me. And I loved him so much that I risked everything to save him. And that's how I became what I am now, because I loved him. But another war started, and again we lost. We lost everything. I watched my best friends die. Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Gwen Harkness," she paused, "Martha Jones. Everyone died but me and the Doctor. So to save me, he risked everything to send me here. To another universe."

Martha stared at her in shock.

"So that's me." Lily said. "Believe me when I tell you, the Doctor and I are truly alone."

**The darkness deepens…**

**Lord, with me abide.**

A/N: Gridlock done in three days. How damn impressive it that? Come on, you've got to admit, I'm pretty awesome. So tell me what you thought!

Abbey


	31. Dream a Little Nightmare

Disclaimer: I own Doctor Who. Well not in the traditional sense. Fine, yes, only in my mind. Why do you have to ruin this for me? Bastard.

Ch.31: Dream a Little Nightmare

The atmosphere on the TARDIS was very subdued as the Doctor put her in the vortex.

"Um," Lily said, hesitantly, "I thought you might like to get some sleep, so I had the TARDIS fix up a room for you and choose something from the wardrobe for you to sleep in." Lily told Martha. "We can decide where we go from here once we all get some sleep."

Martha nodded and Lily sighed.

"Come on." she said motioning to the door. "I'll show you where you are." She turned back to the Doctor when they reached the door. "Don't," she said, pointing a finger at him, "move until I get back." She stood, pointing at him a second longer, before turning back around and leading Martha out.

She lead the other woman down some corridors before stopping at a slightly purple-ish colored door.

"This is yours for as long as your with us." Lily told her. "Mine is the one right next door."

"Where's the Doctor's?" Martha asked curiously.

"A few corridors over." Lily said, pointing. "He doesn't use it much, so the most part we just keep it out of the way."

"If he doesn't use it much, where does he sleep?" Martha asked.

"He doesn't." Lily replied. "Sleep, I mean." Since Martha still looked confused, Lily elaborated. "Time Lords don't need nearly as much sleep as humans do. Also," she looked down at her feet, "I have…um…nightmares. So, recently, he's been staying in a chair in my room so he can wake me up when they get really bad."

"Oh." Martha said.

Lily cleared her throat.

"So, anyway, I'll let you get some sleep." Lily said, turning to walk away.

"Your nightmares." Martha called after her. "What…what are they about?"

Lily stopped and Martha saw her hand shake. For a moment, she thought she'd gone too far, but Lily turned back around.

"I dream about the people I've lost." she answered softly. "I dream about them blaming me."

Martha hesitated for a second before hugging Lily tightly. For a moment, Lily didn't seem to know what to do, but then she wrapped her arms around the friend she had just gotten back and returned the hug.

"You have no idea how good it was to see you again." she whispered to Martha. She pulled back so she could look at her. "I know you aren't her, not really, but still…" she trailed off.

Martha didn't know what to say, so she just nodded.

"Anyway," Lily said, pulling away again. "I know we've thrown a lot at you in the last few hours, not to mention the last couple days, so why don't you go lay down." she smiled. "Preferably before you have a major mental meltdown."

Martha returned the smile and opened the door and walked in.

* * *

Lily returned to the control room to find the Doctor right where she had left him.

"All settled in for the night?" he asked her. She nodded and held out her hand. He took it and she lead him out of the control room.

"Where are we going?" he asked her.

"You're going to sleep." she told him.

"What?" he said, stopping. "I don't need to sleep."

"You've been sitting up with me for the last month," she said, rounding on him, "and how long didn't you sleep before that? I'd be willing to bet it was at least two or three weeks. At minimum, you've been awake for six weeks." she sighed. "If we're going to keep Martha safe, you need to be at your best, and, what maybe only apparent to me, but you are not at your best." She took both his hands in hers. "Please. I need you to do this."

He sighed and nodded.

"Thank you." she breathed. She began leading him off again. They reached his room and she lead him through the door. Once in side, she took his jacket and sat him down on the edge of the bed.

"Doctor," she said, laying a hand on his cheek, "how long have you had nightmares?"

He stared at her.

"How did you know?" he finally asked, softly.

She chuckled.

"I tore a hole in a wall with mine," she replied, "did you really think I wouldn't notice what was going on?"

He sighed.

"I had hope." he told her, ruefully.

She shook her head at him.

"Then you're dumber than you look." she said.

"Hey!" he protested, but smiled at her.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked him softly.

He shook his head.

"No," he told her, "you need the sleep as much as I do." He looked at her closely. "Are you going to be ok?"

She nodded.

"The nightmares have been getting better." she told him. "I should be fine for one night."

She sighed and moved to the door.

"If you need me," she said, "call. Understand?"

He nodded.

She smiled.

"Goodnight, Doctor."

And with that, she left.

* * *

Everyone had been asleep for a few hours when the TARDIS realized something was wrong.

_Theta…_ she called, but before she could say anything else, a terrified scream rang through her halls.

A second later, the Doctor was running up to Lily's door. Martha was standing outside already.

"I try to get in," she told him, "but the door's locked."

"Yeah," he said, distracted, "that's to protect you."

"She said she has nightmares," Martha said. "Why would I need to be protected from that?"

"Because Lily could blast you from existence without a second thought and she's on the verge of loosing control." he told her.

"She's that powerful?" Martha gasped.

"More." The Doctor replied. A second scream tore through the ship.

"Lily!" he yelled. "Lily, wake up!" He put his hand on the door, only to snatch it away again. "Hot." he said.

_Can you take in the power she's releasing?_ he asked his ship.

_I think so._ she replied.

"Then do it!" he yelled.

He waited for a second and a third scream before putting his hand back on the door. It was cool again. He put his hand on the door knob and slowly turned it.

He saw Lily thrashing on her bed and ran to her side.

"Don't!" he yelled when he saw Martha try to follow.

"Lily." he said, soothingly, holding her face between his hands while her body thrashed. "Lily girl, you need to wake up. You're scaring the human."

Suddenly, Lily's eyes popped opened. She sat straight up before grabbing his shirt and burying her face in his chest, sobbing.

"Shh." he said. "It's ok. I'm here. You're safe." he held her tightly. "Nothing can hurt you here. I won't let it."

"He said it was my fault." she sobbed. "He said I did it on purpose. That I wanted him to die. He wouldn't listen."

"It's ok." he repeated. "I've got you."

"He said I killed Samantha." she kept on as if she hadn't heard him. "He said I killed my daughter." Her whole body was shaking.

"You did nothing of the sort." The Doctor told her, taking her face between his hands again. "And he would never blame you for what happened."

She stared at him, tears flooding down her cheeks.

"How do you know?" she asked him.

He smiled sadly at her.

"Because I would never blame you." he told her simply.

She nodded and buried her head back in his chest.

Silence descended.

* * *

The next morning, Martha was trying to find her way to the kitchen, but it seemed like every turn she made was the wrong one. Finally she found herself in a dead end with only one door. Sighing, she went to turn around to find a whole new corridor from the one she had just walked down.

"Great." she muttered. "I'm gonna die in here." She sighed. "Look." she called out. "I don't know if you can hear me, but both the Doctor and Lily talk to you so I figure it can't hurt." She shook her head. She felt incredibly dumb. "Can you please show me the way to the kitchen?"

Suddenly, the door at the end of the corridor wavered and turned into a doorway.

"Thanks!" Martha said brightly, walking quickly through it.

She found Lily sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee with sunglasses on, still in her pajama bottoms and tank top from last night.

"Um…good morning." Martha said hesitantly.

Lily grunted and took a swig of coffee.

"Are you ok?" Martha tried again.

Lily grimaced and pushed her sunglasses up to the top of her head. Martha saw that her eyes were bloodshot.

"Sorry." Lily crocked and cleared her throat. "I'm not usually a morning person, and today I feel like I got hit in the head by a two by four." she chuckled weakly. "I've had hangovers that were better than this."

"It's because of what happened last night?" Martha asked.

Lily nodded.

"Pouring that much power through my body is kind of painful." she told her. "I'll be fine in a few hours."

Martha nodded and made herself a cup of tea.

"You British and your tea." Lily groused before taking another swig of her coffee.

"It's the national drink." Martha told her cheerfully.

"Hmph." Lily grunted.

Just then, the Doctor walked in, dressed in his blue suit, burgundy shirt and converses.

"Good morning!" he called loudly.

"Speak for yourself." Lily told him. "And do it at a lower decibel."

"Sorry." he said, only lowering his voice slightly. "Here." he handed her two pills. "Works like magic on a hangover, should work for you too."

She took them gratefully and downed them, dry.

"Your moving into my room." he announced while grabbing a cup.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You obviously can't sleep on your own, so I'm moving you to my room." He thought about it for a second. "Actually, I already did. Huh."

"Whatever." she said, laying her head on the table.

"So," he continued on. "I decided, since New New York was such a bust, we'd try again."

"Where are we going?" Martha asked, excited.

"Come and see." he said, prying Lily out of her chair.

A/N: So, Daleks in Manhattan starts next time. I just wanted a scene where Martha sees what the Doctor and Lily go through even when they're not risking their lives fighting monsters. Tell me what you think!

Abbey


	32. Daleks in Manhattan: Can't Go Home

Disclaimer: I don't own it. My therapist tells me that admitting this is good for me. So why does it feel like a piece of my soul has died?

Ch.32:

Martha walked out of the TARDIS first, the Doctor pulling Lily behind her.

"Where are we?" Martha asked.

The Doctor smiled.

"Ah, smell that Atlantic breeze." he said, letting go of Lily to walk out in front of them. "Nice and cold. Lovely. Martha, have you met my friend?" He gestured behind them.

Both Lily and Martha turned to find the Statue of Liberty rising majestically behind them.

"Is that-?" Martha stuttered. "Oh my God! That's the Statue of Liberty!"

"Gateway to the New World." he said. "'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to break free…'"

Lily turned back to him and when he saw her expression, he knew he had chosen right. Her face was an expression of pure happiness.

He let out an involuntary grunt as her body hit his. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him for all she was worth.

"Thank you." she whispered before letting go. She back away and let out a yell.

"WHOOP!!!!" she yelled. "YES! I'm back! I missed you so much!" They laughed as she ran back and forth trying to take everything in. "AMERICA, I'M BACK!"

"She seems happy." Martha laughed.

The two of them watched as Lily actually knelt down and kissed the ground.

"I can't give her her old world back," The Doctor replied, "but I can give her her old stomping ground."

Martha gave him a look, so he elaborated.

"Lily grew up in New York on her Earth." he told her.

"Ah." Martha replied. Lily was now chasing some pigeons like some deranged dog. "This is brilliant, though." she continued. "I've always wanted to go to New York. I mean the real New York, not the new, new, new, new, new, new…"

They watched as Lily made her way back to them. She walked right up to the Doctor and slapped him upside the head.

"OW!" he yelled. "What was that for?"

"What's the big idea bringing me to 1930's New York?" she asked. "None of my credit cards work here."

With that she walked back into the TARDIS.

Martha and the Doctor stood there staring after her.

"She's coming back, right?" Martha asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"Of course." he told her, not sounding all that sure himself. "Anyway, this is the genuine article." he continued with their previous conversation. "So good, they named it twice. Mind you, it was New Amsterdam originally. Harder to say twice. No wonder it didn't catch on. New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam."

"Lily said it's the 1930's," Martha said, "but what year? 'Cause look, the Empire State Building's not even finished yet." She looked around.

"Work in progress." The Doctor agreed. "Still got a couple floors to go, and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around-"

"November 1st, 1930." Martha interrupted.

"You're getting good at this." The Doctor said, looking impressed until he spotted the newspaper.

"Cheater." Lily's voice came from behind them. They turned around to find her dressed in a short denim skirt, knee high black boots, a black tank top, her black cropped leather jacket, and her hair pulled back in a pony tail.

The Doctor whistled.

"What?" she asked, smoothing her skirt down.

"Nothing." he replied. "I'm just imagining the riot that outfit is going to cause." He laughed. "It's going to be like the time Rose and I wound up in 1880's Scotland instead of 1980's."

Lily glared at him.

"If you try to say you chased me across the highlands after buying me in London, I will drop your ass right here and now." she told him.

He laughed and held up his hands in surrender.

"So where were we?" Lily asked. "Wow, that sentence was like full of w's." She shook her head. "What exactly did you give me earlier?" she asked, giving him a piercing look.

He shook his head.

"You really don't want to know." he told her.

"Doctor-" Lily started, but Martha interrupted her.

"Eighty years ago." she said in wonder. She handed the paper to the Doctor. "It's funny, 'cause you see all those old newsreels in black and white, like it's so far away, but here we are. It's real." She laughed and looked at the Doctor and Lily. "Come on, you. Where do we go first?"

But the Doctor and Lily were looking intently at the paper.

"I think our detour just got longer." the Doctor said, showing her the headline.

"'Hooverville Mystery Deepens'. What's Hooverville?" she asked.

* * *

"Herbert Hoover, 31st president of the USA, came to power a year ago." The Doctor explained as they walked through Central Park. Martha and the Doctor walked at a steady pace while Lily ran circles around them. "Up till then, New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, and then…"

"The Wall Street Crash, yeah?" Martha finished. "When was that, 1929?" She stopped and watched as Lily spun in circles. "Seriously, what did you give her?"

"Um," the Doctor said, not meeting her eyes, "it's not important. Anyway, you're right, it was 1929. Whole economy wiped out overnight." he told her. "Thousands of people unemployed. Suddenly the huddled masses doubled in number with nowhere to go. So they ended up here." He motioned around them. "In Central Park."

"What?" Martha asked, shocked. "They actually live in the park? In the middle of the city?"

"Ordinary people lost their jobs." Lily said, joining them as they entered Hooverville it's self. "Couldn't pay the rent and they lost everything. There are places like this all over America." Lily shook her head sadly. "You only come to Hooverville when there's nowhere else to go." she told the other woman.'

The trio heard shouting and followed it.

"You thieving' lowlife!" one man shouted before punching another. Both ignored the two men trying to break up the fight.

"You took my bread loaf!" the first man shouted.

"I didn't touch it!" the second shouted back.

Suddenly, an older man walked out of a nearby tent and got between them.

"Cut that out!" he told them.

The two men ignored him and kept fighting.

"Cut that out!" he shouted again. "Right now!" He got between them and pushed them apart.

"He stole my bread!" the first man accused.

"That's enough!" the older man told him. He looked at the second man. "Did you take it?" he asked him.

"I don't know what happened." the man protested. "He just went crazy."

The first man lunged at the second man again, but he was held back by another man.

"That's enough!" the older man yelled.

By now lots of people had come to see what was going on and Martha, the Doctor and Lily joined them.

"Now," the older man continued, "think real careful before you lie to me."

The second man at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"I'm starving', Solomon." he protested.

The older man-Solomon-held out his hand and the second man reached into his coat and pulled out the loaf in question. He reluctantly handed it over.

"We're all starving'." Solomon told him. Then he broke the bread in half. "We all got families somewhere." He handed a half to each man. "No stealin' and no fightin'." he told them, sternly. "You know the rules. Thirteen years ago, I fought in the Great War. A lot of us did. And the only reason we got through was because we stuck together! No matter how bad things get, we still act like human beings. It's all we got."

Both men took their half and went their own way without another word.

"Come on." The Doctor said, leading the two women up to Solomon. "I suppose that makes you the boss around here." he said.

"And, uh, who might you be?" Solomon asked.

"He's the Doctor." Martha said, pointing. "She's Lily and I'm Martha."

"A doctor." Solomon scoffed. "Well, we got, uh, stockbrokers, we got a lawyer, but you're the first doctor." he told them. "Neighborhood gets classier by the day." He warmed his hands over a nearby fire.

"How many people are living here?" Lily asked him, calm for the first time in about an hour. Although Martha was under the impression that she was working very hard to remain that way.

"At any one time, hundreds." Solomon told her. "No place else to go. But I will say this about Hooverville. We are a truly equal society, black, white, all the same. All starving." He laughed without much humor. "So you're welcome. All of you. But tell me, Doctor, you're a man of learning, right?" The Doctor nodded and he continued. "Explain this to me." He pointed to the Empire State Building. "That there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, and we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan?"

Lily looked away while the others had no answer for him. He shook his head and wandered off.

"So this is your America?" Martha asked.

Lily glared at her.

"The Great Depression was one of the darkest periods of American history." she replied. "The rich got richer on the backs of the people who couldn't feed their families. The family I grew up, that I loved?" She waved her hand around her. "My great grandfather is in here somewhere. My family grew out of this." Her glare intensified. "So don't talk about things you don't understand. England during the depression was easy compared to what happened here."

"I'm sorry." Martha said, backing off. She remembered what she had learned last night about what happened when Lily got upset. "I didn't mean to offended you."

Lily's gaze finally softened.

"I'm sorry, too." she said. "It's just, I don't really remember Gallifrey. This, this city, it's people, they're my home." She looked around her at the utter despair. "And if someone's hurting them, I want to find them and punish them."

"Then lets find them." The Doctor said.

The three time travelers followed Solomon and found him just as he was throwing the dregs of a pot of coffee onto a fire.

"So…" the Doctor said as they approached. "Men are going missing." He held up the newspaper. "Is this true?"

Solomon took the paper from him and sighed.

"It's true all right." he told them, ducking inside his tent.

The Doctor stood at the entrance.

"But what does missing mean?" he asked. "Men must come and go here all the time. It's not like anyone's keeping a register."

"C'mon in." Solomon told them. Martha came in and sat with him. The Doctor waited for Lily to do the same, but when she didn't move, he looked at her.

_Aren't you going to sit?_ he asked her.

She glared at him.

_I couldn't sit still right now if my life depended on it._ she told him. _When I find out what you gave me…_ she let the threat hang in the air.

He grinned at her and went to sit next to Martha.

"This is different." Solomon was saying.

"In what way?" Martha asked.

"Someone takes them." Solomon replied. "At night. We hear something. Someone calls out for help. By the time we get there, they're gone. Like they vanish into air."

"Are you sure someone's taking them?" Lily asked.

"Lady," he replied, "when you got next to nothing, you hold on to the little you got. Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning."

"Have you been to the police?" Martha asked.

Lily gave a laugh.

"Please," she said. "No one cares when someone like that goes missing. They'd rather pretend they don't exist than deal with it."

Solomon studied her.

"You from New York?" he asked.

"Grew up in Manhattan, just a few blocks from here." she told him. "But it's been four years since I was on the island."

He nodded.

"She's right." he told the others. "The Police don't care. Another deadbeat goes missing, big deal."

"So," the Doctor said, "the question is, who's taking them and what for?"

Before anyone could try to answer the question, a young man stuck his head in.

"Solomon," he said, "Mr. Diagoras is here."

Solomon got up and lead them outside. There they found a greasy looking man in a suit.

"I need men." he was saying. "Volunteers. I got a little work for you and you sure look like you can use the money."

"Yeah." the young man said. "What is the money?"

"A dollar a day." Diagoras replied.

All around them, the men grumbled.

"What's the work?" Solomon asked.

"A little trip down the sewers." Diagoras replied. "Got a tunnel that collapsed needs clearing and fixing. Any takers?"

"A dollar a day?" Solomon asked, incredulous. "That's slave wage. Men don't always come back up, do they?"

"Accidents happen." Diagoras replied, oily all the way through.

"What do you mean?" the Doctor called. "What sort of accidents?"

"You don't need the work?" Diagoras called, ignoring the Doctor's question. "That's fine. Anybody else?" The Doctor raised his hand, Lily's following just a moment later. "Enough with questions." he told them.

"Oh, n-n-no." the Doctor replied. "I'm volunteering."

Martha looked at them and raised her hand with a sigh.

"I'll kill you for this." she told them.

A/N: And that's the first chapter of Daleks in Manhattan down. Let me know what you thought!

Abbey


	33. Daleks in Manhattan: Can't Go Back

Disclaimer: Please, people.

Ch.33:

Lily glared at the back of Diagoras' head as they made their way through the sewers.

"Stop that." The Doctor muttered to her.

"Only if you let me punch him." Lily muttered back. "I really hate guys like him. He's a thug with delusions of grandeur."

"Just leave him alone." he told her.

She grunted, which the Doctor took for agreement.

"Turn left." Diagoras finally told them. "Go about a half a mile. Follow Tunnel 273. Fall's right ahead of you. You can't miss it."

"And when do we get our dollar?" Frank asked.

"When you come back up." Diagoras replied.

The Doctor frowned.

"And if we don't come back up?" he asked.

Diagoras gave him a nasty smile.

"Then I got no one to pay." he told him.

Lily began to move towards him and the Doctor grabbed her arms from behind, but Diagoras saw this and laughed.

"What are you gonna do, girlie?" he asked, chuckling.

Lily looked back at the Doctor.

_Please?_

_No._

_Please._

He sighed and let go of her. He had had enough of Diagoras too.

Before anyone could blink, Lily was in front of Diagoras. A second later, she had landed a right hook to his jaw.

"I'm gonna do that." she told him. "We'll be back for our money."

She turned around and began to walk back, when the Doctor suddenly moved quickly pass her. She turned to find him holding Diagoras' hand, which was raised to hit her, tightly.

"Touch her," the Doctor warned in a quiet voice, "and I'll break your arm."

The two men glared at each other for a moment before Diagoras backed off.

"Whatever." he said before stalking off.

The Doctor and Lily stared after him for a moment before the Doctor rounded on Lily.

"What's wrong with you?" the Doctor said, grabbing her arm and dragging her back. "You know better than to turn your back on someone."

Lily looked slightly scared.

"I don't know." she said.

"We gotta stick together." Frank called. The Doctor nodded, and he and Lily rejoined the group and they set off.

"It's easy to get lost." Frank told them. "It's like a huge rabbit warren. You could hide an army down here."

"So what about you, Frank?" Martha asked. "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

"Oh," Frank protested, "you could talk. No, no, I'm from Tennessee, born and bred."

"I love the South." Lily said. "Great people. Weird food."

Frank laughed.

"So how come you're here?" Martha asked him.

"Uh, my daddy died." he told them. "Mama…couldn't afford to feed us all. So, I'm the oldest, up to me to feed myself, so put on my coat, hitched up the railroads."

"Kinda young to be on your own, aren't you?" Lily asked.

"There's a whole lot of runaways in camp younger that me." Frank told her. "From all over: Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas… Solomon keeps a lookout for us." He looked curiously at Martha. "So, what about you?" he asked. "You're a long way from home." Lily fell back to walk next to the Doctor with a grin at Martha.

Martha shot her a dirty look before answering.

"Yeah, I'm just a hitcher too." she told him.

"You stick with me," Frank told her, "you'll be all right."

_Looks like Martha's made a friend._ Lily said, smiling.

The Doctor shook his head.

"So, this Diagoras bloke, who is he then?" he asked Solomon.

"Besides a son of a bitch." Lily clarified.

"A couple of months ago," he told them, "he was just another foreman. Now it seems like he's running most of Manhattan."

"How did he manage that, then?" the Doctor asked.

"These are strange times." Solomon replied. "A man can go from being King of the Hill to the lowest of the low overnight." He shrugged. "It's just for some folks, it works the other way 'round."

"Yeah, well if he's the new king," Lily said, "I vote we stage a coup."

"Spoken like a true American." Solomon said with a chuckle. "What are you doing with these Brits?"

"Whoa!" the Doctor called before Lily could answer.

Sitting in front of them was a…blob. And the blob was giving off this sick green light.

"Is it radioactive or something?" Martha asked, coming to stand with them.

The Doctor laid the flashlight he was carrying next to him and crouched down next to it.

"It's gone off, whatever it is." Martha said, covering her nose and mouth.

"Seriously?" Lily asked, curiously. "We've been walking through a New York sewer, and this is was what bothers you the most?"

The Doctor, in the meantime, had put on his glasses and was now picking the blob up.

"And you've got to pick it up." Martha complained.

"Of course he does." Lily answered brightly.

The Doctor sniffed it.

"Shine one of your torches through it." he told them and Martha complied.

Lily, on the other hand, reached out and poked it. She pulled her hand away, looked at the slime that was left on her finger and proceeded to wipe it on the Doctor's sleeve.

"Composite organic matter." he said, ignoring her. "Martha? Medical opinion?"

"It's not human." she replied. "I know that."

"No, it's not." he replied.

"Uh, Doctor?" Lily asked, looking around. "We've got to be at least a half a mile in. So where's the collapse? I don't see it. Do you?"

He shook his head.

"So why did Diagoras send us down here?" he asked quietly.

"So where are we now?" Martha asked. "What's above us?"

"Well…" he replied. "We're right underneath Manhattan."

* * *

"We're way beyond half a mile." Solomon told them after walking a bit further. "There's no collapse, nothing."

"That Diagoras bloke," Martha asked, "was he lying?"

"Looks like it." the Doctor answered.

"Son of a bitch." Lily said, punching the wall. She lowered her hand but didn't turn back around.

"Feel better?" the Doctor called.

"Yes." she said shortly.

"Hurt your hand?" He called.

She turned back around, shaking her hand and wincing.

"Yes." she replied.

He motioned for her to come to him and he took her hand in his and examined it.

"I don't think you broke anything." he told her aloud.

_What is going on? _he asked her silently._ You're not usually this volatile._

_I don't know. _she told him. _I think whatever you gave me is reacting badly with my physiology._ She glared at him. _Wanna tell me what you gave me now?_

_It was a thirty-second century Earth pick me up. _he told her. _That's all, I swear._

_So why didn't you just tell me that? _she asked.

_Because I thought you'd object to what they're made out of. _he told her.

_And what, pray tell, is that?_ she asked.

_Your speech pattern is doing that thing again._ he pointed out.

_DOCTOR!_

_Methamphetamines._

"SPEED?!" she screamed at him, causing him to wince. "YOU GAVE ME SPEED?!?!"

"Just a little, and it's totally harmless." he told her, trying to placate her. "No addictive or harmful properties what so ever. I swear. Scout's honor."

She glared at him, obviously pissed beyond belief.

"You are in so much trouble." she told him. "They're going to need a molecular scanner to find all of you once I'm through."

"Guys." Martha called.

"What?" the asked together. They turned to find the other three staring at them.

"Your scaring the locals." Martha said simply. She turned to the Doctor. "You really gave her meth?" she asked.

"It's not important just now." he said, trying to change the subject. "Right now, what's important is figuring out what's going on."

"Why did Mr. Diagoras want people to come down here?" Frank asked.

"Solomon," the Doctor said, "I think it's time you took these three back. I'll be much quicker on my own."

"Like hell you wi-"Lily started, but cut off when they heard a noise from down the tunnel.

"What the hell was that?" Solomon asked.

"Hello?" Frank called.

"Shh." Martha told him quickly.

"What if it's one of the folk gone missing?" Frank asked. "You'd be scared, half-mad down here on your own."

"Do you think they're still alive?" The Doctor asked him.

"Heck, we ain't seen no bodies down here." he replied. "Maybe they just got lost."

More noise came down the corridor. It sounded like squealing.

"I know I never heard nobody make a sound like that." Solomon said.

The Doctor walked a little ways ahead of them, Lily close behind him.

"Sounds like there's more than one of 'em." Frank said.

"This way." the Doctor said, motioning them forward.

"No," Solomon said, shining his flashlight down another tunnel, "that way."

The light caught the silhouette of a huddled figure on the ground.

"Doctor…" Martha called.

Both he and Lily made their way to the others.

"Who are you?" Solomon asked.

"Are you lost?" Frank called. "Can you understand me? I've been thinking' about folk lost…"

He started towards the figure but the Doctor stopped him.

"It's all right, Frank." he said. "Just stay back. Let me have a look."

He walked towards the figure, but Lily held him back.

"If you think I'm letting you go alone, you're more insane than I thought." She said, glaring at him. "And considering you gave me speed earlier, assume that threshold if fairly high."

"You want to come with me?" he asked, impatiently.

"Yes." she answered.

"Then come on." he replied before moving forward again. "He's got a point, though, my mate Frank." he told the figure. "I'd hate to be stuck down here on my own."

He paused as the creature squealed.

"We know the way out." he told it. "Daylight. If you want to come with us." He squatted and shined the light on the creature's face. He and Lily saw that he had the face of a pig.

"Oh," the Doctor said. "But what are you?"

"Is, uh, that some kind of carnival mask?" Solomon asked.

"No, it's real." The Doctor said, turning to answer him. He turned back to the pig man.

"I'm sorry." he told him. "Now listen to me. I promise I can help."

Lily rested her hand on his shoulder, but he ignored her.

"Now, who did this to you?" he asked.

"Doctor." Martha called.

Lily was now tugging on his jacket, trying to get him to move.

"I think you'd better get back here." Martha told him.

He looked up to see that pig men had filled the opposite end of the tunnel.

"Doctor," Lily said in a calm voice. "I don't want to worry you, but if I'm killed by pig men, you better hope your afterlife is far away from mine, because I plan on making your's hell."

"Doctor!" Martha yelled.

"Actually…" he said, standing up. "I've decided I rather like Martha's plan."

"Good choice." Lily replied as they both moved back to join the others.

"They're following you." Martha said, pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah, I noticed that, thanks." he said as he and Lily reached the others. "Well then, Martha, Frank, Solomon, my dear Lily…"

"What?" Martha asked.

"Um, basically…run!"

They raced down the tunnel until they reached a cross section. Martha stopped in confusion.

"Where are we going?!" she asked.

"This way!" the Doctor yelled, turning right and not slowing in the least. Lily grabbed her arm as she passed and dragged her along. They finally stopped at another joining tunnel with the pig men still behind them.

"There's a ladder!" the Doctor told them. He climbed up and opened the lid with the sonic screwdriver. He came through first and helped Martha out. Lily followed next, followed by Solomon. Frank was about halfway up and both Solomon and the Doctor reached down to help him.

"C'mon, Frank!" Solomon called. "C'mon."

"I've got ya." the Doctor told him. "C'mon."

Frank was almost there when the pig men grabbed him and pulled him down.

"Frank!" Solomon shouted.

"MOVE!" Lily yelled.

The Doctor dove out of the way, taking Solomon with him, but nothing happened. He looked up to see Lily standing there with her hand flung out in front of her and a look of shock on her face.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered.

The Doctor tried to jump back in, but Solomon shoved him aside and closed the lid.

"We can't go after him." he told the Doctor.

"We gotta go back down!" he protested. "We can't just leave him!"

"No," Solomon replied, "I'm not losing anybody else! Those creatures were from Hell!" he told him. "From Hell itself!" He shook his head. "If we go after them, they'll take us all! There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."

Suddenly a woman stepped out of the darkness holding a gun on them.

"All right then." she told them. "Put 'em up."

Martha put her hands up, but the Doctor, Lily, and Solomon remained where they were. The woman cocked the gun.

"Hands in the air and no funny business." she told them.

The Doctor and Solomon both relented but Lily still was staring at the hole in the ground.

"Didn't you hear me, girlie?" she asked. "Put 'em up!"

Before she could even think to pull the trigger, Lily had it in her hand and had twisted the woman's arm behind her back.

"Everyone needs to stop calling me girlie." Lily said to no one in particular.

"I'm sorry." the woman said, sounding terrified. "Please, just tell me what you've done with Lazlo."

"Uh, who's Lazlo?" Martha asked.

A/N: Second chapter of Daleks in Manhattan for your reading pleasure. Tell me what you think, as always!

Abbey


	34. Daleks in Manhattan: Can't Let Go

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Doctor Who. It's right on my self next to Stargate SG1 and Bones. I also own the song _When I Fall in Love _by Victor Young and Edward Heyman.

Ch.34:

The group found themselves sitting in a dressing room. Solomon, Martha, and the Doctor sat on chairs around the room while the woman sat at the vanity with Lily inspecting the gun next to her.

"Lazlo's my boyfriend," she was explaining, "or was my boyfriend until tow weeks ago." She sighed. "No letter, no good-bye, no nothing'. And I'm not stupid. I know some guys are just pigs, but not my Lazlo. I mean, what kinda guy asks you to meet his mother before he vamooses?"

"It might," the Doctor said, "might have helped if you hadn't threatened us with a gun."

"Huh?" she asked. "Oh, c'mon. It's not real." she told them.

"What?" Martha asked. "It looked pretty real to me."

"No, she's right." Lily said, spinning the chamber before snapping it into place and pointing it at the Doctor. "It's a fake." she pulled the trigger and the gun clicked, but no gunshot. "A good one though." she said, laying it next to her.

"It's just a prop." the woman told them. "It was either that, or a spear."

"What do you think happened to Lazlo?" Martha asked.

"I wish I knew." she replied. "One minute he's there, the next, zip- vanished."

"Listen," the Doctor said, "ah- what's your name?"

"Tallulah." she told him.

"Tallulah." he repeated.

"3 l's and an h." she said.

"Oh my god, that's a great name." Lily said. She looked horrified. "Did I really just say that out loud?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"Fantastic." Lily said. She got up and started pacing.

"Right." The Doctor said, watching her for a second before turning back to Tallulah. "Um, we can try to find Lazlo, but he's not the only one. There are people disappearing every night." he told her.

"And there are creatures." Solomon added. "Such creatures."

"Whaddaya mean 'creatures'?" Tallulah asked.

"Look, listen, just trust me." The Doctor told her. "Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is," He pulled the blob from the sewers out of his pocket, "because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting."

"Yech!" Tallulah said, leaning away from him.

"Ok, that's great and all," Lily said, "but you and I need to have a private conversation." she told the Doctor.

"Lily…" he tried to protest, but she cut him off.

"Now." she said, pointing to the door.

The Doctor got up and meekly walked out the door, Lily following right behind him.

"What the hell is happening to me?" she demanded when she decided they had gotten sufficiently far away. "Yesterday, I could blast a door without a second thought and save a city, and today I can't even save a boy from some pig men?" She looked scared out of her mind. "I can't even produce a shield that would keep out a fly."

She looked like she would have kept going, but the Doctor grabbed her arms and forced her to look at him.

"I don't know what's happening," he told her, "but I'll figure it out. I promise."

"I'm scared." she told him, a tear falling down her cheek.

He gently pulled her to him and wrapped her in a hug, which she gratefully returned.

"I won't let anything happen to you." he told her. "Ever."

"It's not me I'm worried about." she whispered.

* * *

The Doctor, and Solomon were scavenging the props room looking for parts.

"How about this?" Solomon called, holding up a radio. "I found it backstage."

"Perfect." the Doctor told him, taking it. "It's the capacitors I need. I'm just rigging up a crude little DNA scan for this beastie. If I can get a chromosomal reading, I'll find out where it's from."

He pulled it apart and began working on it with the sonic screwdriver.

"How about you, Doctor?" Solomon asked. "Where are you from? I've been all over, and I've never heard anybody talk like you." He looked at him intently. "Just exactly who are you?"

The Doctor took out of piece of the radio and blew on it.

"Oh, I'm just sort of passing by." the Doctor told him, not looking at him.

"I'm not a fool, Doctor." Solomon said.

The Doctor paused and looked up at him.

"No." he said seriously. "Sorry."

Solomon walked to the sewer lid and looked down at it.

"I was so scared, Doctor." he told him. "I let them take Frank 'cause I was just too scared. I gotta get back to Hooverville. With these creatures on the loose, we gotta protect ourselves." He shook his head. "Ain't no one else gonna help us."

"Good luck." the Doctor told him.

"I hope you find what you're looking for." Solomon told him. "For all our sakes."

With that, he left.

* * *

Back in Tallulah's dressing room, Lily and Martha were watching her get dressed.

"Lazlo…" she told them, "He'd wait for me after the show, walk me home like I was a lady." she smiled sadly. "He'd leave a flower for me on my dressing table. Every day, just a single rose."

Martha stood and walked over to stand beside her.

"Haven't you reported him missing?" she asked.

Tallulah laughed.

"Sure." she said sarcastically. "He's just a stage hand. Who cares? The management certainly don't."

"Can't you kick up a fuss or something?" Martha asked.

"She'd lose her job." Lily answered. "Am I right?"

"Yeah." Tallulah replied.

"But they'd listen to you." Martha protested. "You're one of the stars."

"Oh, honey." Tallulah said, as if her naiveté was cute. "I got one song in a back street review and that's only because Heidi Chicane broke her ankle- which had nothing' to do with me, whatever anybody says." she told them, making Lily laugh. "I can't afford to make a fuss. If I don't make this month's rent, then before you know it, I'm in Hooverville."

"Ok, I get it." Martha relented.

"It's the Depression, sweetie." Tallulah told her. "Your heart might break, but the show goes on and if it stops, you starve." She began to get upset. "Every night I have to go out there, sing, dance, keep goin'. Hoping he's gonna come back." She broke down in sobs.

Martha hugged her around the shoulders while Lily got a napkin and handed it to her.

"I'm sorry." Martha told her.

"Hey, you're lucky, though." Tallulah said to Martha. "You got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit."

Martha tried to look anywhere but Lily.

"Uh, he's not-we're not…together." Martha told her.

"Oh!" Tallulah said, looking embarrassed. "Then you two are?" she said to Lily.

Lily smiled at them.

"Nope." she replied. "I value my sanity, or what left of it, way too much to go down that road."

"But, I've the way you look at him." Tallulah argued. "Both of you. It's so obvious."

"Not to him." Martha said, still not looking at Lily.

"Seriously," Lily added. "Take the most clueless man you've ever met, multiply him by like a thousand, and you're getting closer to how clueless the Doctor is." She cleared her throat. "Not that I think about it much." she told them. "I'm gonna kill him for doing this to me." they heard her mutter.

"Oh, I shoulda realized." Tallulah said, a light bulb going off. "He's into musicals, huh?" she asked. "What a waste."

This made Lily laugh so hard she had to sit down.

"I'm sorry." she said through her laughter. "'He's into musicals.' I've got to tell Jack that one. He'll be thrilled." she calmed down but kept chuckling.

Martha just shook her head.

"Still, ya gotta live in hope." Tallulah told them, not quite understanding what was going on. "It's the only thing that's kept me going, 'cause…" she picked up a white rose from the dressing table, "look. On my dressing table every day still."

"You think it's Lazlo?" Martha asked, taking the rose. Lily was looking at it curiously, so she handed it to her.

"I don't know." Tallulah replied. "If he's still around, why's he bein' all secret like he doesn't want me to see him?"

"That's a good question." Lily said, thoughtfully.

They sat there in quiet for a moment.

"So," Tallulah said, "either of you girls been on stage?"

"No." Martha said with a smile. "I'm not the least bit talented."

"What about you?" Tallulah asked Lily.

Lily smiled.

"I used to be a club singer back in London." she told her.

"Really?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. Had a lot of fun doing it too." she replied.

"Come on then." Tallulah said. "Let's hear what you got."

"It's been a while." Lily replied.

"Yeah, well you never really forget, do you?" Tallulah told her.

Lily just shook her head and cast around for a song to sing. She didn't notice the Doctor standing in the doorway.

"Um, ok." Lily said. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

And she began to sing.

"_When I fall in love, it will be forever  
Or I'll never fall in love.  
In a restless world like this is  
Love is ended before it's begun  
And too many moonlight kisses  
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun._

_When I give my heart, it will be completely  
Or I'll never give my heart  
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too  
Is when I fall in love with you._

_And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too  
Is when I fall in love with you."_

The two women stared at her.

"I told you I hadn't sung in awhile." she said defensively.

"It's not that." Martha told her. "That was amazing."

"Yeah, well after voice lessons from the time I was ten, it should be." Lily replied.

"I don't know that song." Tallulah said. "Who's it by?"

"Uh, some friends of mine are working on it out in California." Lily told her, quickly trying to cover her tracks.

"It always sounds best when you sing it, Lily girl." The Doctor said, making her spin quickly around.

"I didn't know you were there." she said.

He walked up to stand right in front of her.

"You haven't sung in a while." he said softly. "Not since Donna."

"I know." she said, looking down.

He put his hand under her chin and made her look at him.

"You should do it more."

She smiled.

He cleared his throat, let go of her and took a step back.

"I'm going up to the balcony," he told them, "are you two coming?"

"I am." Lily said immediately. "I want to know what the hell we're up against."

"I'm gonna stay down here," Martha said, "if that's ok."

"It's fine." the Doctor replied. "We'll come get you when we're done, yeah?"

"Ok." Martha agreed and the Doctor and Lily left.

Martha watched them leave and turned to Tallulah.

"Yeah, I don't think hope is going to help me." she told the young singer.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily walked in silence to the balcony. He was falling back on his theory that when she was mad at him, it was better not to say anything at all. That way he couldn't get himself in more trouble. And the way she was blocking him out made him think he was already in quite a lot already.

"I'm not angry." she told him.

"Thank God." he said before he could stop himself. "Uh, I mean, I never thought you were."

She smiled at him.

"I'm not blocking you because I'm angry." she explained. "I'm blocking you because I'm scared."

"Ok, I know I don't always get what's going on in your head," he said, "but that doesn't even make sense for you."

She sighed.

"Right now, you need to figure out what's going on." she said. "And to do that, you can't be distracted, and right now, all I am is distracted." She wrapped her arm around his and leaned her cheek on it. "Just find out what's going on, so we can leave."

"All right." he said.

They walked in silence again.

"You know that song won't be written for about another twenty years right?" he asked.

"What can I say, the thirty's were not my favorite period of music."

He chuckled and they entered the balcony.

* * *

The Doctor laid out the blob, which was hooked up to his hand-made scanner. He took a nearby stage light and redirected it so it was shining on the blob. Lily came up behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"That's it." he said. "Let's warm you up."

* * *

Backstage was a nightmare. Girls in various states of undress were running in every which direction while Martha looked on with interest.

"Girls!" Tallulah yelled. "It's showtime!"

* * *

"This is artificial." the Doctor told Lily, looking up at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"_Ladies and gentlemen…"_ the heard an announcer call over the speaker.

"Genetically engineered." the Doctor continued, talking over the announcer. He looked back down at the blob. "Whoever this is, oh, you're clever."

* * *

"…_with Heaven and Hell!"_ the announcer finished.

The curtains opened and out came the chorus girls, dressed in red sequined dresses with tails and horns. They parted and Tallulah appeared in white with wings and a halo. She sashayed up to the microphone and began to sing.

"_You lured me in with your cold grey eyes  
Your simple smile and your bewitching lies  
One and one and one is three  
My bad, bad, angel, the Devil, and me._

_You put the devil in me  
You put the devil in me  
You put the devil in me  
You put the devil in me."_

Martha stood watching the show from the wings. Suddenly she saw movement in the opposite one. It was a pig man, but something was different about him. He looked different. Also, he just stood there. Watching.

Martha quickly made a decision. She began making her way across the stage, hiding behind chorus girls as she went.

"What are you doing?" one hissed at her.

Martha ignored her and moved to the next, who's tail she accidentally grabbed, causing her to fall.

"What are you doing?" Tallulah asked her.

"You're on my tail!" was all the girl could say. "Get off my tail!"

* * *

Back in the balcony, the Doctor was holding his stethoscope on the blob, both he and Lily unaware of what was going on on the stage.

"Fundamental DNA type 467-989." he said. "989. Hold on, that means planet of origin…" He looked up at Lily, a look of total disbelief on his face. "Skaro."

Lily dropped her hands and backed away from him.

"Lily…" he got up and moved towards her, but she kept backing up.

Her eyes were growing more gold by the moment.

"Lily…" he tried again, but she turned and ran off. He quickly followed after her.

* * *

Down on the stage, Martha was still creating a disaster.

"Get off the stage!" Tallulah hissed at her. "You're spoilin' it!"

"But look!" Martha said, pointing at the wing. "Over there!"

Realizing he'd been spotted, the pig man looked startled. Tallulah took one look and started to scream and he took off running.

"Hey!" Martha called after him and took off too.

"Wait!" she called as she followed him through the halls. "But you're different that the others! Just wait!"

She reached the prop room right as something clanged. She looked around, but the pig man was gone.

* * *

Backstage was once again a disaster area, granted for different reasons.

"It was like something out of a movie show." one of the girls was saying. "Oh, that face. I ain't never gonna sleep."

Lily came in, her eyes still half gold half grey, the gold beginning to win. The Doctor came in a moment later and walked right up to Tallulah.

"Where is she?" he demanded. "Where's Martha?"

"I don't know." she replied. "She ran off the stage."

A scream tore through the theater and Lily ran off, the Doctor and Tallulah on her heels. They reached the prop room, but Martha was gone.

"Martha!" the Doctor yelled.

He noticed that the sewer lid was askew and grabbed his coat and put in on.

"Oh, where are you goin'?" Tallulah asked them as Lily moved the sewer lid with ease.

"They've taken her." Lily said simply. Tallulah noticed her voice sounded odd. Like more than one person.

"Who's taken her?" she asked.

Lily ignored her and began climbing down, the Doctor following.

"What're y' doin'?" Tallulah called. "I said, what the hell are ya doin'? Crazy people."

She found a long coat and followed them down.

A/N: Yeah, Lily doesn't handle the Daleks well, does she? And who else thinks Martha might have realized who Lily was really singing about? Let me know!

Abbey


	35. Daleks in Manhattan: Can't Start Again

Disclaimer: Go ahead. Sue me. See what it gets you. That whole dollar I have should get you tons.

Ch.35:

"No, no, no, no, no way." the Doctor said when he saw Tallulah had followed. "You're not coming."

"Tell me what's going on." she said as he ran to catch up with Lily.

"There's nothing you can do." he told her. "Go back."

He finally reached Lily and grabbed her, spinning her to face him.

"Lily, you need to stop." he told her.

"I'm going to kill them." she said in that same strange voice. "I'm going to hunt them and then I'm going to hurt them and then, if I'm feeling kind, I'll kill them."

"No you're not." the Doctor said, backing her up to the wall. "You don't even have any powers."

Suddenly, he was slammed into a wall.

"The vortex is burning off the remaining drugs in this body's system." she said, her eyes hard. "The race responsible for the death of my Doctor will be punished."

The Doctor stared at her. This was not Lily.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Where's Lily?"

"Lily is here." she told him. "She is me and I am her."

"Yeah, but who are you?" he asked.

"I am the Dark Phoenix." she answered.

"You're a personality separate from Lily, aren't you?" he asked. "One who's main purpose is to protect the Doctor?"

"Yes." she answered.

"But you only come out when Lily is really upset." he said. "Times when she's…" his eyes widen, "lost total control. That's what's happening, right? She's lost control completely hasn't she?"

She didn't say anything.

"Do you recognize me as the Doctor?" he asked.

She nodded.

"The Doctor is the Doctor, no matter what universe." she told him.

"Good. Then is what you're doing protecting me?" he asked.

"Yes."

"No." he shot back. "By running in with out a plan, you're putting me in danger. So what are you doing?"

"I'm protecting the Doctor." she said.

"No." he said again. "You want me to tell you what your doing? Your going after the Daleks out of revenge."

"No." she said.

"Yes." he replied.

"I…" her voice was starting to lose the strangeness. "I…They killed him." Her voice was almost back to normal. "They killed everyone."

The force holding him to the wall disappeared as she fell to the ground. He moved to her and pulled her shaking form into his arms.

"They deserve to die." she told him.

He shook his head.

"If you kill them," he told her, "it makes you no better than them."

"Something's wrong with me." she told him, her shaking quieting down. "I can feel it."

"It was the drugs." he said. "But they should be gone now."

"No." she replied. "Something is happening." She looked up at him. "The Phoenix has never asserted itself as a separate entity before."

"Never?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Even at the game station, I was still me." she told him.

He looked at her, confused.

"But how did you know that was it's name?" he asked her.

"Because those were the words spread across time." she replied.

"But when Rose…Bad Wolf acted separately from her." he told her. "She didn't remember anything after."

"I remembered everything."

They stared at each other.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

She nodded and he helped her to her feet.

"We need to get going." she said. "We need to find Martha."

He nodded.

"Look," Tallulah said, breaking her silence. "I'm not going to ask what happened just now, but whoever took Martha, they could've taken Lazlo, couldn't they?"

"Tallulah, you're not safe down here." The Doctor told her.

"You're not safe around me." Lily told her.

Tallulah waffled for a moment, what just happened obviously scaring her, but then she set her shoulders and looked Lily straight in the eyes.

"Then that's my problem." she told her. "Come on. Which way?"

Without waiting, Tallulah went down the tunnel to the left.

The Doctor sighed.

"This way." he said, pointing to the tunnel in front of them.

He and Lily set off and Tallulah followed.

* * *

In another tunnel, two pig men held Martha between them.

"No!" she shouted. "Let me go!"

They pushed her up against the wall as more pig men came with a line of humans.

"Martha." one called and she saw that it was Frank.

"You're alive!" she said, grabbing him in a hug.

"Hey." he said.

"I thought we'd lost you." she told him.

A pig man came up and pushed them to get them moving.

"All right!" she said. "All right, we're moving."

"Wait." Frank said. "Where are they taking us?"

"I don't know." Martha replied. "But we can find out what's going on down here."

* * *

The Doctor, Lily, and Tallulah were still walking.

"When you say 'They've taken her', who's they exactly?" Tallulah asked. "And who are you anyway? I never asked."

"Shh." Lily said, holding a finger to her lips. Both she and the Doctor had stopped.

"Okay. Okay." Tallulah said, not at all quieter.

"Shh, shh, shh." the Doctor told her.

In the light of the tunnel, both the Doctor and Lily saw the shadow of the one thing they never wanted to see ever again.

"I mean, you're a good singer and you're handsome and all-"

The Doctor put his hand over her mouth and pulled her down the tunnel into a recess, Lily following after, keeping watch on their six. When she reached the recess, she laid her hand on the side wall and it glowed gold.

The Dalek passed without seeing them.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." The Doctor moaned, leaning against the wall. "They really survived. They always survive, while I lose everything."

Lily walked up to him and grabbed his face between her hands.

"If I have to keep it together, so do you." she told him.

"That metal thing?" Tallulah asked. "What was it? And how did you do that glowing thing?"

"It's called a Dalek." The Doctor said, answering her first question. "And it's not just metal, it's alive." He moved pass Lily and back into the tunnel.

"You're kidding me." she said, laughing.

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" he said, rounding on her.

She instantly sobered.

"Inside that shell is a creature born to hate," he told her, "whose only thought is to destroy everything and everyone that isn't a Dalek too."

"It won't stop ever." Lily said, moving to join her hand with the Doctor's. "Not until it's killed every human being alive."

"But if it's not a human being," Tallulah said, "that kinda implies it's from outer space."

The Doctor and Lily both looked at her.

"Yet again, that's a 'no' with the kidding." she said. "Boy…Well, what's it doin' here in New York?" she asked.

"That's a good question." the Doctor replied.

"I've got another." she said. "Earlier, you threw him into a wall without moving and just now, your hand glowed. Are you an alien too?"

"It's… complicated." Lily told her. "Just, sufficed to say, I can do a lot of things a normal human can't." She looked at her intently. "Are you afraid of me?" she asked. "A lot of people would be."

"I know I should be." Tallulah said, slowly. "But I'm just not."

"Okay." Lily said.

The Doctor walked over to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her along.

"Every second you're down here, you're in danger." he told her. "I'm taking you back right now."

They turned the corner to find the pig man that Martha had seen standing in front of them. Before anyone could blink, there was a gold wall between them and him.

"Lily.." the Doctor said.

"Fine." she said, lowering the wall. "I'm not gonna lie though. It's nice to be able to do that again."

"Where's Martha?" The Doctor asked, approaching the other man. "What have you done with her? What have you done with Martha?"

"I didn't take her." the man told them, moving more into shadow.

"Can you remember your name?" The Doctor asked, surprised.

"Don't look at me." the pig man told them.

"Do you know where she is?" Lily asked, moving forward.

"Stay back!" he shouted. "Don't look at me!"

"What happened to you?" the Doctor asked.

He came closer and saw that, unlike the others, this pig man was more man than pig.

"They made me a monster." he told the Doctor sadly.

"Who did?" Lily asked, kind now that she knew he wasn't a threat.

"The masters." the man replied.

"The Daleks." The Doctor said, confused. "Why?"

"They needed slaves." the man explained. "They needed slaves to steal more people, so they created us. Part animal, part human. I escaped before they got my mind, but it was still too late."

"Do you know what happened to Martha?" the Doctor asked.

"They took her." he replied. "It's my fault. She was following me."

"Were you in the theater?" Tallulah asked.

"Yes." he replied sadly.

"Why?" she asked. "Why were you there?"

"I never wanted you to see me like this." he said instead of answering her.

"Why me?" she asked. "What do I gotta do with this? Were you following me? Is that why you were there?"

He finally turned so she could see him.

"Yes." he said.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"I was lonely." he replied.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I needed to see you." he said.

"Who are you?"

"I'm sorry."

He turned away, but she grabbed his arm.

"No, wait." she said. "Let me look at you." She pulled him under the light and gasped. "Lazlo?" she breathed.

He nodded.

"My Lazlo?" she asked again, her voice breaking. "Oh what have they done to you?"

"I'm sorry." he said. "So sorry."

_She's brave._ Lily said.

_Yes, she is._ the Doctor agreed.

"Lazlo, can you show me where they are?" the Doctor asked softly.

"They'll kill you." Lazlo told him.

"If we don't stop them," Lily said, "they'll kill everyone."

"Then follow me." he told them.

* * *

In another tunnel, Martha, Frank and the other prisoners were being held in a section of tunnel.

"What are they keeping us here for?" Frank asked.

Martha shook her head.

"I don't know." she said. "I've just got a nasty feeling that we're being kept in the larder."

* * *

The Doctor, Lily, Tallulah, and Lazlo stood around the corner, watching. All of a sudden, the pig men started to squeal nervously.

"What're they doing?" Frank asked. "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Suddenly, a Dalek glided into the tunnel.

"SILENCE." it demanded. "SILENCE."

Lily closed her eyes and visibly got control of herself as Lazlo ducked out of sight.

"What the hell is that?" Martha demanded.

"YOU WILL FORM A LINE." the Dalek told them. "MOVE."

The pig men began pushing everyone into a line.

"Just do what it says, everyone, okay?" Martha said. "Just obey."

"THE FEMALE IS WISE." the Dalek said. "OBEY!"

Lily moaned quietly as a second Dalek arrived.

"REPORT." it demanded of the first.

"THESE ARE STRONG SPECIMENS." it told the second. "THEY WILL HELP THE DALEK CAUSE."

"Dalek?" Martha whispered. She remembered the name of the race both the Doctor and Lily had fought.

"WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE FINAL EXPERIMENT?" the first Dalek asked.

"THE DALEKANIUM IS IN PLACE." the second told the first. "THE ENERGY CONDUCTOR IS NOW COMPLETE."

"THE I WILL EXTRACT PRISONERS FOR SELECTION." the first declared.

One the pig man brought an older man forward. The man cowered as the Dalek extended his sucker towards the man's face.

"INTELLIGENCE SCAN. INITIATE. READING BRAIN WAVES. LOW INTELLIGENCE."

"You calling me stupid?" the man asked, offended.

"THIS ONE WILL BECOME A PIG SLAVE." the Dalek said, ignoring the man.

Two pig men came forward and began dragging him away.

"No," he shouted, "let go of me! I'm not becoming one of them!"

The Dalek just moved to the next in line.

"INTELLIGENCE SCAN. INITIATE."

"They're divided into two groups:" Lazlo told them, "high intelligence and low intelligence. The low intelligence are taken to become pig slaves like me."

"Well, that's not fair." Tallulah said, offended for him.

"Shh." Lily said to her.

"You're the smartest guy I ever dated." she continued in a whisper.

"And the others?" the Doctor asked, ignoring her.

"They're taken to the laboratory." Lazlo told him.

"But why?" the Doctor asked. "What for?"

"I don't know." Lazlo replied. "The masters only call it the…Final Experiment."

The Dalek was now scanning Frank.

"SUPERIOR INTELLIGNECE." It turned to Martha. "INTELLIGENCE SCAN. INITIATE. SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE. THIS ONE WILL BECOME PART OF THE FINAL EXPERIMENT."

"You can't just experiment on people!" Martha shouted. "It's insane! It's inhuman!"

"WE ARE NOT HUMAN." the Dalek told her. "PRISONERS OF HIGH INTELLIGENCE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE TRANSGENIC LABORATORY."

"Look out," Lily said, "they're moving."

She and the Doctor flattened themselves against the wall, but Lazlo took Tallulah and headed down the tunnel.

"Doctor! Lily!" he called, quietly. "Quickly!"

"I'm not going." The Doctor told him. "I've got an idea. You go."

"I'm staying too." Lily told him.

"Didn't think you weren't." he told her with a slight smile.

"Sure you didn't." she said, returning the smile.

"Lazlo, c'mon!" Tallulah said, pulling on his arm.

"Can you remember the way?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I think so." she replied, confused.

"Then go." he told her. "Please."

"But Lazlo," she protested, "you gotta come with me."

"Where would I go?" he asked her. "Tallulah, I'm beggin' you, save yourself. Just run. Just go. Go."

With one last look, she left and Lazlo rejoined the Doctor. As the Daleks passed, the Doctor and Lily joined the line between Martha and Frank, while Lazlo joined the guards.

"Just keep walking." The Doctor told them in a low whisper.

"I'm so glad to see you two." Martha replied.

"Yeah, well, you can kiss Lily later." he told her. "You too, Frank, if you want. Ooof."

Lily had elbowed him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tallulah was completely lost.

* * *

The prisoners were lead into a large lab.

"REPORT!" the first Dalek demanded.

"DALEK SEC IS IN THE FINAL STAGE OF EVOLUTON!" a third Dalek told him.

"Evolution?" the Doctor whispered as Lily turned to look at him.

"What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" Martha asked quietly.

"Ask them." The Doctor told her.

"What me?" Martha demanded. "Don't be daft."

"I don't exactly want to get noticed." he told her. "Ask them what's going on."

"What about Lily?" she asked.

"You're asking for all of my control just standing in the same room as them." Lily said through gritted teeth. "You do not want me talking to them."

"Why don't you just-?" she asked making a 'blow up' motion with her hands.

"Because we need to know what they're doing." Lily replied shortly. "Ask the damn question."

Martha took a deep breath.

"Daleks," she called. "I demand to be told. What is the Final Experiment? Report!"

"Not the method I would have gone with, but effective." Lily whispered.

"YOU WILL BEAR WITNESS!" the first Dalek replied.

"To what?" Martha asked.

"THIS IS THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE!" he told her.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"WE ARE THE ONLY FOUR DALEKS SO THE SPECIES MUST EVOLVE A LIFE OUTSIDE THE SHELL." he told her. "THE CHILDREN OF SKARO MUST WALK AGAIN."

They watched in horror as the Dalek's shell powered down and opened to reveal a human-Dalek hybrid. Lily realized that the suit was Diagoras and gaged. The head looked like and octopus with a mouth and one eye. His hands were claw like.

"What is it?" Martha asked, horrified.

"I am a human Dalek." it said slowly. "I am your future."

A/N: And that is the end of Daleks in Manhattan. Ok, I'm officially impressed. That's what, two episodes in like four or five days? Tell me what you thought.

Abbey


	36. Evolution of the Daleks: Fight

Disclaimer: I'm running out of things to say for this and I'm only on the sixth episode. This does not bode well. So for this one I'll just say, I don't own it.

Ch.36:

The humans, The Doctor, and Lily were all frozen in horror.

"These…humans will become like me." the Dalek-human proclaimed.

Unnoticed by the others, Lily and the Doctor slipped behind some nearby machinery.

"Prepare them for hybrid-isation." the Dalek-human continued.

The pig slaves began to move in on Martha, Frank, and the other prisoners.

"Leave me alone!" Martha shouted. "Don't you dare!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, 'Happy Days are Here Again' began playing, causing everyone to stop.

"What is that sound?" the Dalek-human called.

The Doctor stepped out, Lily close behind, with a radio in his hands.

"That would be me." he called, setting down the radio. The moment the Dalek's attention was fixed on him, a gold wall sprung up around him and Lily. "Hello." he continued. "Surprise. Boo, et cetera."

"Doctor." the Dalek- human said. He turned his attention to Lily. "And an abomination."

She just glared at him, not saying a word.

"THE ENEMY OF THE DALEKS!" the first Dalek said.

"EXTERMINATE!" the second one called, but the Dalek-human stopped them.

"Wait." he said.

"Well, then." the Doctor said. "A new form of Dalek." he walked forward, Lily following reluctantly. "Fascinating and very clever."

"The Cult of Skaro escaped your slaughter." the Dalek-human told him.

Lily gave him a feral grin.

"I can fix that." she told him, but the Doctor cut her off from saying more.

"How did you end up in 1930?" he asked.

"Emergency Temporal Shift."

The Doctor scoffed.

"Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, yeah?" He strode away, looking about, and, since she was fairly certain that the Daleks weren't going to attack, Lily let the shield drop.

"Time was, four Daleks could have conquered the world, but instead, you're skulking away, hidden in the dark, experimenting." He took a deep breath, refocusing on the Dalek-human hybrid. "All of which results in you."

"I am Dalek in human form." he replied.

"What does it feel like?" The Doctor asked curiously. "You can talk to me, Dalek Sec. It is Dalek Sec, isn't it? That's your name? You've got a name and a mind of your own. Tell me what you're thinking right now."

"I…feel…humanity." he told the Doctor haltingly.

"Good." the Doctor told him. "That's good."

"I…feel…everything we wanted from mankind," Dalek Sec continued, "which is ambition, hatred, aggression and war. Such…a genius for war."

"No," the Doctor protested. "that's not what humanity means."

"I think it does." Dalek Sec disagreed. "At heart, this species is so very…Dalek."

"All right, so what have you achieved then?" the Doctor demanded. "With this Final Experiment, eh? Nothing! 'Cause I can show you what you're missing with this thing." he told him, pointing to the radio. "Simple little radio." He patted it.

"WHAT IS THE PUROPSE OF THAT DEVICE?" the second Dalek demanded.

"Well, exactly." The Doctor exclaimed. "It plays music. What's the point of that? Oh, with music, you can dance to it, sing with it."

"Fall in love to it." Lily chimed in with a grin.

_You're handling this better than I imagined._ The Doctor said silently.

_I find I'm enjoying annoying them. _she replied.

"True." he said aloud. "Unless you're a Dalek, of course. Then it's just noise."

The Doctor aimed the sonic screwdriver at the radio and a high pitched wail sounded forth. Sec grabbed his head in pain while the other Daleks just seemed confused.

"Run!" the Doctor yelled to the prisoners and lead them out, Lily protecting their rear.

"PROTECT THE HYBRID!" the first Dalek ordered.

"PROTECT! PROTECT! PROTECT!"

* * *

The Doctor fell back to stay with Lily, leaving Martha to lead the way. Finally they reached a cross in the path of tunnels, causing Martha to stop, unsure of the way.

"Come on!" The Doctor yelled, running past. "Move, move, move, move, move, move!"

They ran down a tunnel and into Tallulah.

"You, too, Tallulah!" Lily said, grabbing her arm and dragging her along. "Run!"

"What's happened to Lazlo?" she asked, bewildered.

They reached a ladder and the Doctor lead them up.

"C'mon!" Lily said, helping them up. "Everyone up!"

When the last was up, she climbed up and closed the access and bared it with a gold barrier.

"That should hold them for a while." she told the Doctor, who nodded.

"Let's get these people back to Hooverville."

* * *

A little while later found Martha and Tallulah sitting on crates around a fire, Lily pacing angrily, and the Doctor talking to Solomon.

"These Daleks, they sound like the stuff of nightmares." Solomon said after the Doctor explained the situation. "And they wanna breed?"

"Ok, that imagery is the stuff of nightmares." Lily said, shuddering. "Please don't every use the words 'breed' and 'Dalek' in the same sentence ever again."

"They're splicing themselves into human bodies." The Doctor explained. "If I'm right, they've got a farm of breeding stock-"

"What did I just say about that word?" Lily interrupted.

"right here in Hooverville." the Doctor continued right over Lily. "We've got to get everyone out."

"Hooverville's the lowest place a man can fall." Solomon told them. "There's nowhere else to go."

"I'm sorry, Solomon." The Doctor told him. "You've got to scatter. Go anywhere. Down the railroads, travel across the state, just get out of New York."

"There's got to be a way to reason with these things." Solomon protested.

"Don't you get it, you stupid man?" Lily sneered. "There is no reasoning with something that has no reason! If you believe in the devil, these things make Satan look kind and gentle and down right cuddly. They don't feel love or compassion or kindness. All they feel is hatred."

"Lily." the Doctor said sternly and she rounded on him.

"He has to understand. They can not stay here." she told him. "Hell, we shouldn't stay here. We should hunt them down and eradicate them all. The Cult of Skaro should die tonight. It should all end tonight."

"No." the Doctor told her.

"I won't stand by and watch them wipe humanity from the face of the Earth!" she shouted at him. "Not again!"

"I'm not asking you too." he told her.

"No, you're asking me to do nothing." she spat. "I won't lose this planet. Not again."

"And I won't lose you!" he shouted back at her.

She stood there, shocked.

"As it stands now, to do this, you'd have to give yourself over wholly to the Dark Phoenix." he said, more quietly. "What are the chances you come back from that? That I get you back from that?" He shook his head. "I won't risk it. I won't risk you."

"You'd rather risk the planet, then lose me?" she asked him softly.

He sighed.

"I'd rather you trust me." he told her. "Trust that I can fix this."

"I'm not sure that you can." she said, truthfully.

He sighed again, but she continued.

"I'm not sure you can, but," she took a deep breath, "I'm willing to believe you can."

"That's all I'm asking." he replied.

"To sum up," Martha said, turning from the show the Doctor and Lily had just put on back to Solomon, "there's not a chance."

"You ain't seen 'em boss." Frank chimed in.

"Daleks are bad enough at anytime," the Doctor told him, "but right now they're vulnerable, and that makes them more dangerous than ever."

A whistle blow rang out through the park.

"They're coming!" someone shouted. "They're coming!"

"A sentry." Solomon told them. "Must have seen something."

"They're here!" a man called, running up to them. "I seen 'em! Monsters! They're monsters!"

"It's started." Lily whispered, looking to the south where the alert was coming from.

"We're under attack!" Solomon called. "Everyone to arms!"

The Doctor and Lily stared at the amount of guns they had collected.

"America." Lily said, a hint of her usual humor shining through. "Land of the gun owners."

She walked over and picked up an hand gun, looked at it, and tossed it back down.

"Well these'll be useless." she said, turning back to the Doctor.

"I'm ready, boss." Frank said before turning to the others. "All y'all, find a weapon! Use anything!"

They watched as some of the residents decided to make a run for it.

"Come back!" Solomon called. "We gotta stick together! It's not safe out there! Come back!"

"How far can you protect?" The Doctor asked Lily quietly.

"I think we're about to find out." she replied. "This is gonna get bright."

She backed away from them and shut her eyes. A gold bubble burst from her and expanded to include all the residents around her. The few that were out side were quickly cut down but pig slaves.

The Doctor glanced at her and saw that she was already covered in sweat. There was no way she could hold it for long with out losing control.

"We need to get out of the park." Martha said softly.

The Doctor shook his head.

"We can't." he told her. "They're on all sides. And Lily's barely holding it now. I won't risk trying to have her move it."

"We're trapped." Tallulah said, stating the obvious.

"And…we're…going…to be…defenseless soon." Lily said, breathing hard.

"Then we stand together." Solomon said. "Gather 'round." he called. "Everybody come to me. You there, Jethro, Harry, Seamus, stay together.

One of the pig slaves, all which had circled the shield, ran full force into it. He was incinerated, but Lily collapsed and the shield went with her.

"They can't take all of us." Solomon yelled before he began firing, the others following suit.

The Doctor and Martha ran to Lily and helped her to her feet. She was conscious, but leaning heavily on the Doctor.

"If we can just hold them off till daylight." Martha said hopefully.

The Doctor looked up.

"Oh, Martha, they're just the foot soldiers."

Everyone looked up.

"Oh, my god." Martha breathed.

Above them, a Dalek was flying and heading straight towards them.

"What in the world-" Solomon asked.

"It's the devil!" one of the residents yelled. "A devil in the sky. God save us all. It's damnation."

"Oh yeah?" Frank yelled back. "We'll see about that!"

Frank raised his gun and fired, but the bullet had no effect at all. The Doctor left Lily's side and went and pushed his rifle down.

"That's not gonna work." he told him.

"No, but this will." Lily said, raising her hand. It glowed, and it seemed like something was happening, but Lily collapsed and the light disappeared.

"There's more than one of them." Martha said.

The Daleks began their attack, firing upon the settlement. Soon, whole sections were destroyed or in flames.

"THE HUMANS WILL SURRENDER!" one of the Daleks called.

"Leave them alone!" the Doctor yelled. "They've done nothing to you!"

"WE HAVE LOCATED THE DOCTOR!" a second Dalek said.

Solomon took a step forward and the Doctor grabbed his arm.

"No, Solomon." he told him. "Stay back."

"I'm told that I'm addressin' the Daleks," Solomon called, ignoring the Doctor's warning, "is that right?" He awaited an answer, but none came.

"From what I hear," he tried again, "you're outcasts, too."

"Solomon, don't." the Doctor told him.

"Doctor, this is my township," Solomon told him, "you will respect my authority. Just let me try."

He pushed the Doctor away. The Doctor shook his head and walked back to Lily.

"He's going to die." she whispered. The Doctor just stared forward.

"Daleks…" Solomon called. "Ain't we all the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin?" He set his gun on the ground. "'Cause, see, I've just discovered this past day, God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Oh, yeah. Terrifies me. Right down to the bone. But it's got to give me hope…hope that maybe together we can make a better tomorrow. So I…I beg you now, if you have any compassion in your hearts, then you'll meet with us and stop this fight." He waited for an answer. "Well… what do you say?"

"EXTERMINATE!" was his answer.

Lily hid her face in the Doctor's chest and he wrapped his arms around her as Solomon fell to the ground.

"No!" Frank screamed. He ran to the fallen man's side. "No! Solomon!"

"They killed him." Martha said, uncomprehending. "They just shot him on the spot."

"Daleks!" The Doctor screamed. He let go of Lily and walked forward, arms held out to his sides.

"All right, so it's my turn!" he yelled to them. "Then kill me!"

"No!" Lily said, her eyes beginning to glow.

"Kill me if it'll stop you attacking these people!" the Doctor yelled, ignoring her.

"I WILL BE THE DESTROYER OF OUR GREATEST ENEMY!" one of the Daleks called.

"Then do it!" the Doctor called. "Do it! Just do it!" He pounded his chest. "DO IT!"

Suddenly, Lily was at his side, holding his head.

"No." he said, trying to push her away.

"I won't let you go." she told him, looking into his eyes with her glowing ones. "Not without me."

He relented.

"EXTERMIN-"

"Stop!" they heard Dalek Sec order. "I command you. Stop."

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND!" the Dalek protested. "IT IS THE DOCTOR!"

"But I want him alive." Sec said.

"THE URGE TO KILL IS TOO STRONG." the Dalek told him.

"I have decided the Doctor must live," Sec repeated, "and you will obey me."

"I…OBEY!" the Dalek said.

"What's going on?" The Doctor asked.

"Bring him and only him to me." Sec ordered.

"YOU WILL FOLLOW." the Dalek commanded the Doctor.

"No!" Lily yelled. "If you want him, you get me."

"Lily, I have to go." the Doctor told her softly.

"Not by yourself." she told him.

"Yes, by myself." he replied. "The Daleks just changed their minds. Daleks never change their minds. You know that."

"But what about us?" Martha called.

The Doctor looked at the people around them.

"One condition!" the Doctor called. "If I come with you, you spare the lives of everyone here! Do you hear me?"

"Obey the Doctor." Sec's voice commanded.

"THE HUMANS WILL BE SPARED." the Dalek agreed. "DOCTOR…FOLLOW!"

The Doctor started forward, but Lily grabbed him again.

"No." she snarled.

"I'm sorry." he said simply before pulling her close and kissing her.

A number of expressions flitted across Lily's face during this kiss, the first being shock and the last being pissed as her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed.

The Doctor laided her gently on the ground and motioned Martha over.

"Martha, stay here." he told her. "Take care of Lily, and be forewarned, she's going to be very angry when she wakes up, which should be in about a half an hour." He got up and started to walk away before turning to look back at her.

"Oh, and can I just say, thank you very much." he told her, gripping her hand with both of his and giving her a wink.

He walked off and Martha looked down at her hands.

He'd left her the psychic paper.

A/N: First chapter of Evolution of the Daleks. You know the drill.

Abbey


	37. Evolution of the Daleks: Plan

Disclaimer: I'll never claim I own it again if they'll just come up with a cure for migraines first.

Ch.37:

The return to consciousness for Lily was not pleasant. In fact, it felt a bit like being hit by a truck.

"Ungh." she moaned.

Suddenly, everything rushed back to her and she shot straight up and immediately moaned, resting her head in her hands.

"Sleeping beauty's awake." Tallulah said as she walked in with a pot of water. "Here you go." she said to Martha, setting the pot next to her. "I got some more on the boil."

"Thanks." Martha replied. She finished applying a bandage to the man next to her's arm. "You'll be all right." she told him. "It's just a cut. Try and keep it clean."

"Thanks." the man told her as he got up and left.

"Where is he?" Lily asked the moment the man was gone. "I'm gonna kill him."

"He's gone." Martha told her. "You probably have a better idea of where he is then me."

Lily closed her eyes and focused.

"Actually I don't, not exactly at least." she said, opening her eyes. "He's blocking me. Coward. But I have a good idea."

"What does that mean?" Tallulah asked from where she was leaning.

"That I'm gonna track him down and beat him up." Lily answered simply.

She stood, grabbing her jacket, and made her way to the tent flap, but Martha blocked her way.

"You're not going anywhere until I've checked you out." she told her, pulling her back and making her sit down.

"Fine, but if you think you're going to talk me out of killing him, you're sorely mistaken." Lily told her.

"What did he do to you anyway?" Martha asked. "He said you'd come around in an half an hour and that's exactly when you did. How did he know that?"

"He knew that because that's when he told my nervous system to wake me up." Lily replied irritably. "He used the kiss as physical connection to enter my mind and shut it down." She glared at the wall of the tent. "Son of a bitch."

"Well as much fun as watching you beat the every loving crap out of the Doctor would be," Martha said, deciding that Lily was fine, "we have more pressing concerns."

"Like, what about us?" Tallulah asked. "What do we do now?"

"The Doctor gave me this." Martha said, reaching into her pocket. "He must have had a reason." She pulled out the psychic paper and showed it to the other two.

"What's that for?" Tallulah asked.

"Gets you into places, building, and things." Martha told her. Lily held out her hand, and she handed it over. "But where? He must want us to go somewhere but what are we supposed to do?"

"Ooo," Lily said, looking at the paper. "I knew you could hear me. Well I beg to differ."

"What?" Martha asked.

Lily held up the paper and showed her what was written there.

Four words.

You won't kill me.

"Coward." Lily repeated.

* * *

The Doctor arrived at the Daleks' lab and did what any sensible person would do. He started yelling at the Dalek-human hybrid.

"Those people were defenseless!" he told him. "You only wanted me, but no, that wasn't enough for you! You had to start killing, 'cause that's the only thing a Dalek's good for!"

"The deaths…" Sec interrupted, "were wrong."

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor asked.

"That man, their leader Solomon, he showed courage." Sec told him.

"And that's good?" The Doctor asked slowly.

"That's excellent." Sec agreed.

"Is it me or are you just becoming a little bit more human?" The Doctor asked, shocked.

"You are the last of your kind," Sec replied, "and now I am the first of mine."

"What do you want me for?" The Doctor asked.

"We tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this ignorant age." he told him. "First we tried growing new Dalek embryos, but their flesh was too weak."

"Yeah," the Doctor told him, "I found one of your experiments. Just left to die out there in the dark."

"If forced us to conclude what is the greatest resource of this planet-" Sec continued, "it's people."

Dalek Sec walked over to a giant switch on the wall and flipped it. Above them lights came on to reveal hundreds of human bodies suspended in the air.

"We stole them." Sec told the Doctor as one of the bodies was lowered. "We stole human beings for our purpose. Look…" he pointed to the sheet cover, "inside."

The Doctor reached out and pulled back the shroud to reveal a man.

"This…is the extent of the Final Experiment." Sec told him.

"Is he dead?" the Doctor asked.

"Near death," Sec replied, "with his mind wiped, ready to be filled with new ideas."

"Dalek ideas." the Doctor said. It wasn't a question.

"The Human-Dalek race." Sec proclaimed.

"All of these people." the Doctor said, trying to hide his revulsion. "How many?"

"We have caverns beyond this storing more than a thousand." Sec told him.

"Is there any way to restore them?" the Doctor asked. "Make them human again?"

"Everything they were has been lost." Sec replied.

"So, they're like shells." The Doctor said, thinking. "You've got empty human beings ready to be converted." He looked at Dalek Sec. "That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you gonna do it?"

Dalek Sec lead him to a screen.

"Open the conductor plan."

* * *

In Solomon's tent, Tallulah was searching through papers, Martha was pacing and tapping the psychic paper on her paper, while Lily was sitting with her eyes closed.

"Damn." she exclaimed, her eyes popping open. "He won't let me in. I can't find him unless he lets me in."

"Wait a minute." Martha said, stopping and turning to look at Lily. "Down in the sewers the Daleks mentioned this…energy conductor."

"What does that mean?" Tallulah asked.

Lily shrugged.

"I don't know." Martha said. "Maybe like a…lightening conductor or…Dalekanium!"

"Oh." Tallulah said, not comprehending.

"What about Dalekanium?" Lily said, suddenly interested.

"They said the Dalekanium was in place." Martha told her.

"Dalekanium was the main staple of Dalek society." Lily explained. "They used it for everything from their outer shells to energy reactors." She looked thoughtful. "Did they say where it was in place?"

"No," Martha said, "but I know someone who might know."

"Who?" she asked.

"Frank." Martha replied.

Lily nodded and the three women left the tent to find Frank.

They found him sitting on a crate, obviously mourning Solomon.

"Frank?" Martha said softly, kneeling in front of him.

"Hm?"

"That Mr. Diagoras, he was like some sort of fixer, yeah?" she asked. "Get you jobs all over town?"

"Yeah." Frank answered. "He could find a profit anywhere."

"But where, though?" Lily asked him. "What sort of things?"

"You name it." he answered. "We're all so desperate for work, you just hoped Diagoras would pick you for something good. Building work, that pays the best."

"But what sort of building work?" Martha asked.

"Mainly building that." he told them, pointing.

They turned to see what he was pointing at.

The Empire State Building.

* * *

Dalek Sec was showing the Doctor an animated graphic of their plan.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." the Doctor said. "The Empire State Building. We're right underneath that. I worked that out already, thanks. But what, you hijacked the whole building?"

"We needed an energy conductor." Sec answered simply.

"What for?" The Doctor wanted to know.

"I…am the genetic template." Sec replied. "My altered DNA was to be administered to each human body. A strong enough blast of gamma radiation can splice the Dalek and human genetic codes and wake each body from its sleep."

"Gamma radiation?" The Doctor repeated, confused. "What are-Oh, the sun. You're using the sun."

"Soon…" Sec told him, "the greatest solar flare for a thousand years will hit the Earth. Gamma radiation will be drawn to the energy conductor and when it strikes-"

"The army wakes." the Doctor finished. "I still don't know what you need me for."

"Your genius." Sec told him. "Consider a pure Dalek; intelligent but emotionless."

"Removing the emotions makes you stronger." The Doctor said. "That's what your creator thought all those years ago."

"He was wrong." Sec replied.

The Doctor stood there in shock.

"He was what?" he asked.

"It makes us lesser than our enemies." Sec explained. "We must return to the flesh."

Sec didn't seem to notice or care how uncomfortable this statement made the other Daleks.

"And also…" he continued, "the heart."

"You wouldn't be the supreme being anymore." The Doctor pointed out.

"And that is good." Sec told him.

"THAT IS INCORRECT!" one of the Daleks disagreed.

"DALEKS ARE SUPREME!" the other continued.

"No." Sec told them. "Not anymore."

"BUT THAT IS OUR PURPOSE!" the second protested.

"Then our purpose is wrong!" Sec replied strongly. "Where has our quest for supremacy led up? To this." He waved his hand to encompass the whole room. "Hiding in the sewers on a primitive world. Just four of us left. If we do not change now then we deserve extinction."

Silence met this speech.

"So," the Doctor finally said, slowly, "you want to change everything that makes a Dalek a Dalek."

"If…" Sec said, "you can help me."

* * *

Martha, Tallulah, Frank, and Lily were all on the service elevator.

"I always wanted to go to the Empire State." Martha said. "Never imagined it quite like this, though."

"Eh, the normal trip's for tourist." Lily told her. "This is way better."

"Where are we headed anyway?" Frank asked.

"To the top." Lily said, serious now. "Where they're still building."

"How come those guys just let us through?" Tallulah asked. "How's that thing work?"

"I told them we were hookers." Lily said, but Martha interrupted.

"Psychic paper." she explained with a glare at Lily, who didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest. "Shows them whatever I want them to think. According to this, we're two engineers, an architect, and a decorator."

She held out the psychic paper and Frank took it, flipping it over in his hands.

"What is it?" Martha asked Lily, who looked happy for the first time in hours.

Lily smiled.

"He's near."

* * *

"You knowledge of genetic engineering is even greater than ours." Sec told the Doctor. "The new race must be ready by the solar flare erupts."

"But you're the template." The Doctor said. "I thought they were getting a dose of you."

"I want to change the gene sequence." Sec told him.

"To make them even more human?" There was nothing about this conversation that wasn't surprising to the Doctor.

Sec nodded.

"Humans are the great survivors." he said. "We need that ability."

"Hold on a minute." The Doctor said, calling time out. "There's no way this lot are gonna let you do it." he told Sec.

"I am their leader." Sec said as if this explained everything.

The Doctor turned to the other Daleks in the room.

"Oh, and that's enough for you, is it?" he asked them.

"DALEKS MUST FOLLOW ORDERS!" one told him.

"DALEK SEC COMMANDS, WE OBEY!" the other agreed.

"If you don't help me…" Sec said softly, "nothing will change."

"There's no room on Earth for another race of people." the Doctor told him.

"You have your TARDIS." Sec argued. "Take us across the stars. Find us a new home and allow the new Daleks to start again."

"When's that solar flare?" the Doctor asked.

"Eleven minutes." Sec replied.

"Right then." he said, slapping his hands together. "Better get to work."

* * *

"Look at this place." Tallulah said, looking out the unfinished window. "Top of the world."

"Jackpot." Lily called. She had found some architectural plans on an easel nearby.

"Okay, now this looks good." Martha said as she and Frank joined her.

"Hey, look at the date." Frank said, pointing to the top of the plans. "These designs were issued today. They must've changed something last minute."

"You mean the Daleks changed something?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, could be." Frank agreed, nodding.

"The ones underneath are from before." Lily said, leafing through the plans. "That should mean that whatever they changed is only on the top one." She handed out plans. "Check each of them against the last one to see what's different."

"The height of this place!" Tallulah called. "This is amazing!"

"Yeah, but lets keep the wonder inside the building shall we?" Lily called back. "We're a hundred floors up. That would be a really painful way to die."

"I just wanna see." Tallulah told her.

She walked to the open area and looked out over the city.

"New York City." she breathed. "If aliens had to come to Earth, no wonder they came here."

* * *

"There's no point in chromosomal grafting." the Doctor told them as he checked some readings. "It's too erratic. You need to split the genome and force the Dalek-human sequence right into the cortex."

"We need more chromatin solution." Sec called.

"THE PIG SLAVES HAVE IT!" one of the Daleks told him.

A group of pig slaves, Lazlo among them, walked into the room carrying a large crate.

"These pig slaves," the Doctor asked, "what happens to them in the grand plan?"

"Nothing." Sec replied. "They're just simple beasts. Their lifespan is limited. None survive beyond a few weeks." He refocused on his work. "Power up the engine feeds." he called.

The Doctor spotted Lazlo and walked over.

"Lazlo, I can't undo what they've done to you," he told the young man, "but they won't do it to anyone else."

"Do you trust him?" Lazlo asked.

The Doctor thought about it for a moment.

"I know that one man can change the course of history." he finally replied.

Neither of them noticed the Dalek noticing them.

"Right idea in the right place at the right time is all it takes." The Doctor continued. "I've got to believe it's possible."

* * *

Martha and Lily had the plans spread out on the floor, studying them, while Frank and Tallulah stood nearby.

"I'll go and keep an eye out," Frank said, "make sure we're safe up here. Don't want nobody buttin' in."

"I'll come with you." Lily said, groaning as she stood. "Two sets of eyes are always better than one."

Frank nodded and they both walked out the side door.

"There's a hell of a storm movin' in." Tallulah said.

"I wish the Doctor was here." Martha said. "He'd know what we're looking for."

"So…" Tallulah said, coming to stand beside the other woman, "tell me , where did you and him first hook up?"

"It was in a hospital, sort of." Martha told her.

"'Course," she agreed, "him bein' a doctor."

Tallulah kneeled next to Martha.

"Actually, I'm a doctor." Martha told her. "Well, kind of."

"You're a physician?" Tallulah asked, shocked.

"I was training." Martha told her. "Still am, if I ever get back home."

"You could be doctors together." Tallulah said with a gasp. "What a partnership. Oh, it's such a shame. If only he wasn't so…different. You know what I mean?"

"Oh, you have no idea how different he really is." Martha told her.

"Yeah, he's a man, sweetheart." Tallulah replied with a smile. "That's different enough."

Martha sighed.

"He had this…companion a while back." Martha told her. "This friend. And then he found Lily, and then me." She sighed again. "But you know, sometimes I say something or do something, and he looks at me, and I just sort of think…that he's not seeing me. He's just remembering."

"He doesn't look at Lily that way, though, does he?" Tallulah said, sad for her new friend.

"No. He doesn't." Martha agreed. "He looks at her like she's his only life line in the sea. I've only seen them apart a few times, but you should see the way they change when they come back together. Like suddenly they're whole again. And what makes it worse is, they don't see it at all." She gave an exasperated sigh. "Cause, see, as much as the Doctor cared for this friend, Lily had a man she traveled with too, that she cared just as much for. And now they're both gone and all they have is each other." She looked away. "As much as I try not to let it, it kinda breaks my heart to watch them."

"Aw, listen sweetheart." Tallulah told her. "You wanna get all sad? You wanna have a contest with me and Lazlo?"

"No." Martha replied with a smile. "But listen, if the Doctor's with Lazlo now, there's every chance that he could get him out."

"And then what?" Tallulah asked sadly. "Don't talk crazy. There's no future for me and him. Those Dalek things took that away. The one good thing I had in my life and they destroyed it."

She got up and moved back to the open area, and Martha watched her go.

'Yeah,' she thought, 'they seem to do that a lot.'

A/N: Second chapter of EOTD. Tell me what you think. Believe or not, I enjoy the ones where someone points out a hole best. They help me clarify my story line. So please review!

Abbey


	38. Evolution of the Daleks: Sabotage

Disclaimer: Iownnothing. There I said it.

Ch. 38:

"THE LINE FEEDS ARE READY!" a Dalek announced.

The Doctor rushed to a bunch of tubes and extracted the solution inside with a syringe.

"Then it's all systems go." the Doctor told them.

"The solar flare is imminent." Sec told him. "The radiation will reach Earth in a matter of minutes."

"We'll be ready for it." The Doctor assured him.

The Doctor injected the syringe into the main feeding tubes.

"The compound will allow the gene bonds to reconfigure in a brand new pattern." the Doctor told them. "Power up!"

One of the pig slaves turned on a power switch, as did Lazlo.

"Start the line feeds." Sec commanded.

One of the Daleks started the machinery and they could see the solution start moving through the tubes.

"There goes the gene solution." The Doctor said.

"The life blood." Sec continued.

They watched as the solution made it's way up to the bodies.

* * *

"Gotcha!" Martha called. "Look! Lily, come in here!"

Lily came back through the door as Tallulah joined them at the plans.

"There, on the mast." Martha said, pointing. "Those little lines? They're new. They've added something, see?"

"Added what?" Tallulah asked.

"Dalekanium." Lily told them.

* * *

A klaxon began to sound and red warning lights began to flash.

"What's that?" The Doctor called.

"What's happening?" Sec asked. "Is there a malfunction? Answer me!"

"No, no, no." the Doctor yelled, running to the controls. "The gene feed! They're overriding the gene feed!" He tried to fix it.

"Impossible." Sec told him. "They cannot disobey orders."

"THE DOCTOR WILL STEP AWAY FROM THE CONTROLS!" one of the Daleks said.

The Doctor quickly complied.

"Stop!" Sec commanded. "You will not fire!"

"HE IS AN ENEMY OF THE DALEKS!" another Dalek said.

"AND SO ARE YOU." the third added.

The Daleks trained their weapons on the Doctor and Dalek Sec.

"I am you commander." Sec told them. "I am Dalek Sec."

"YOU HAVE LOST YOUR AUTHORITY!" the third Dalek told him.

"YOU ARE NO LONGER A DALEK!" the second added.

"What have you done with the gene feed?" The Doctor asked.

"THE NEW BODIES WILL BE 100% DALEK!" the third Dalek replied.

"No." Sec told them. "You can't do this!"

"PIG SLAVES, RESTRAIN DALEK SEC AND THE DOCTOR!" the second Dalek commanded.

Two pig slaves grabbed Dalek Sec and two grabbed the Doctor, one of who was Lazlo.

"Release me." Sec commanded. "I created you. I am your master."

"SOLAR FLARE APPROACHING!" the second Dalek announced, ignoring Sec.

"PREPARE TO INTERCEPT!" the third Dalek ordered.

The Daleks turned to the machine. They didn't even noticed when the elevator bell pinged."

"There's the lift." Lazlo said softly.

"After you." the Doctor told him.

They pushed their way clear and made for the elevator.

"THE DOCTOR IS ESCAPING!" the second Dalek said. "STOP HIM! STOP HIM!"

The elevator doors closed in the faces of the pig slaves.

Inside, Lazlo leaned against the side, panting.

"We've only got minutes before the gamma radiation reaches the Earth." the Doctor rambled. "We need to get to the top of the building." He finally realized something wasn't right with Lazlo.

"Lazlo, what's wrong?"

Lazlo shook his head.

"Out of breath." he told him. "It's nothing. We've escaped them, Doctor. That's all that matters."

"Yeah, well this part gets tricky." The Doctor told him.

"Why?" Lazlo asked.

The Doctor grimaced.

"Because I have to convince a really powerful woman not to kill me."

* * *

The lift opened and the girls and Frank looked up to see the Doctor and Lazlo standing there.

"Doctor!" Martha called.

"First floor, perfumery." he said with a smirk.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" Tallulah cried, running to Lazlo, who met her halfway.

Lily didn't say a word as she walked up to the Doctor.

"Lily…" was all he was able to get out before Lily's fist came flying into his right cheek.

He stumbled while she stood there, breathing heavily.

"Feel better?" he asked, rubbing his cheek, when he regained his balance.

Suddenly, she punch him again.

"Now I do." she said.

"Um, good." he said, now holding his nose. It didn't seem to be broken, but it sure hurt.

"You left me." she told him.

"I know." he replied.

"You knocked me out and left me." she repeated.

"I'm aware." he replied.

"Tell me what I need to know." she told him.

He opened his mind to her and she reluctantly did the same. He could tell she was still very angry with him, but at the moment, there was nothing he could do about that. He quickly showed her everything that had happened since he'd left.

"You need to see what Martha found." she said, turning and leading the way.

"We worked it out." Martha told him as they approached. "We know what they've done. There's Dalekanium on the mast." She glared at him. "And it's good to see you too, by the way."

"Oh, come here." he told her.

He grabbed her in a tight hug and twirled her about. He suddenly dropped her, though, when the elevator dinged and the doors closed. Both he and Lily ran to stop it, but they were too late.

"No, no, no." he cried. "See, never waste time with a hug."

"I could punch you again." Lily told him crossly.

"I think I'll pass." he told her, opening the panel next to the elevator and using the sonic screwdriver. "It's a deadlock seal." he told her. "I can't stop it."

"I can't stop it," Lily agreed, "but I can stop them from getting in, at least for now."

She laid her hand on the door and a gold barrier appeared beneath her hand.

"That should hold." She told him. "As long as I'm not distracted. We should probably have a plan B though."

"Where's it going?" Martha asked.

"Right down to the Daleks." The Doctor replied. "And they're not going to leave us alone up here." He looked around. "What's the time?"

"11:15." Frank told him.

"Six minutes to go." The Doctor murmured. "I've got to remove the Dalekanium before the gamma radiation hits."

"Gammon radiation?" Tallulah asked. "What the heck is that?"

"Show him." Lily said to Martha.

She nodded and lead the Doctor outside, Tallulah and Lazlo following. Lily began testing how far she could move from the door before the strain became too much. She got about ten feet away.

"Great." she said to her self. "Just great."

The Doctor got to the edge and looked out over the city.

"Oh, that's high." he said. "That's very-Blimey, that's high."

"And we've got to go even higher." Martha told him. "That's the mast up there, look. There's three pieces of Dalekanium at the base. We've got to get 'em off."

"That's not 'we'." The Doctor told her. "That's just me."

"I won't just stand here and watch you." she told him.

"Oh, god, I've got two of you now." he muttered. "Look, you're gonna have your hands full, anyway. I'm sorry, Martha, but you've got to fight."

She nodded and back away.

"If you get yourself killed," he heard Lily yell from inside, "I will bring you back just so I can kill you again."

"Good to know." he called back.

He turned and looked up.

"That's really high."

He began to climb, wind and rain blowing all around him. This was going to be anything but easy.

* * *

"The lift's coming up." Martha said.

"I shoulda brought that gun." Frank said.

"Tallulah, stay back." Lazlo said. "You too, Martha, Lily. If they send pig slaves, they're trained to kill."

"So am I." Lily said bleakly.

"The Doctor needs me to fight." Martha told him. "I'm not going anywhere."

"They're savages." Lazlo stressed. "I should know. They're trained to slit your throat with their bare teeth."

He suddenly collapsed.

"Lazlo?" Tallulah cried, moving to him. "What is it?"

Lazlo struggled to stand.

"No, it's nothing." he told her. "I'm fine. Just leave me."

Lazlo fell back to the floor and leaned against the wall. Tallulah kneeled beside him and put her hand on his forehead.

"Oh, honey," she said, "you're burnin' up. What's wrong with you? Tell me."

"One man down and we ain't even started yet." Frank said to Martha.

"It's not looking good, Frank." Martha replied.

"Nope." he replied.

Lily glared at them.

"You're safe as long as I can concentrate." Lily told them. "So just cool it." She turned back to the elevator. "And maybe come up with Plan B."

A crash of thunder shook the building, giving Martha an idea.

"Wait a minute." she said. "Lightening."

She ran to the other end of the room.

* * *

The Doctor was still struggling with the Dalekanium. He finally got one off and moved on to the second.

_Doctor, be careful._ he heard Lily in his head.

_Talking to me again are we?_ he asked, still struggling.

_Just make sure your still around so I can ignore you._ she told him.

_I'll do my best._ he replied.

_Do better._

* * *

Martha and Frank were arranging metal rods from the outside across the room to the lift, making sure they didn't touch the floor.

Tallulah was sitting with Lazlo.

"Aw, you'll be all right, sweetheart." she told him. "Don't you worry." She turned to Martha, Lily, and Frank. "What the hell are you three clowns doin'?" she asked.

"Even if the Doctor stops the Dalekanium, this place is still gonna hit." Martha told her. "Great big bolt of lightening, electricity all down this building. Connect this to the lift and they get zapped."

"I really missed you." Lily told her with a grin, which she returned. "We're gonna have to time this just right." she told her. "I have to lower the shield at just the right moment."

"I know." Martha told her.

"Oh my God, that could work." Tallulah said.

"Then give us a hand." Frank told her.

* * *

The Doctor was working on the second panel when suddenly his hand slipped and the sonic screwdriver slipped. He looked over the side. It was gone.

* * *

Martha and Frank were finished.

"Is that gonna work?" Tallulah asked.

"It's got to." Martha replied.

"I've got it all piped up to the scaffolding outside." Frank told them.

"Come here, Frank," Martha said, motioning him over, "sit in the middle and don't touch anything metal." She looked at Lily. "Are you ready?" she asked.

Lily shrugged.

"We're about to find out."

Martha, Frank, Tallulah, and Lazlo sat huddled in the corner of the room, while Lily still stood ten feet from the door, ready to jump out of the way.

The doors slid open.

They all flinched as the lightening hit the building and both Lily and the Doctor screamed. The barrier fell as Lily disappeared.

Martha, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo opened there eyes to find the pig slaves dead and Lily gone.

"You did it, Martha!" Tallulah exclaimed.

"Where's Lily?" She asked. "And they used to be people. Like Lazlo. What I did wasn't a good thing." she said, distracted.

"No, the Daleks killed them." Lazlo said. "Long ago."

"What about the Doctor?" Martha asked.

She ran off.

Martha was standing at the base looking up. The others joined her and stared at the sight before them. Lily was sitting on a platform, the Doctor unconscious, his head in her lap.

She was crying.

"Please." they heard her whisper. "Please wake up. I need you to wake up now. Please. Don't you dare leave me. I need you, Doctor."

She gently bent and kissed his fore head.

"Please." she whispered.

She closed her eyes, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Hey." they heard, softly.

She opened her eyes to find the Doctor's locked on hers.

"Hey." she replied.

"I thought you were mad at me." He said.

She shook her head.

"No," she told him, "not anymore."

He slowly got to his feet and held out his hand. She smiled and put her hand in his. They suddenly were both immersed in a rush of emotions.

"What just happened?" Lily asked, getting to her feet.

"The bond just finished." he told her.

He helped her down the scaffolding.

"I guess that's going to have to wait till later." she said and he nodded.

Martha and Frank were waiting at the bottom for them. As they reached it though, the Doctor stumbled and Lily wrapped her arm around his waist to steady him.

"Oh, my head." The Doctor groaned.

"You're getting careless." Martha told him with a smirk. "Look what we found." She held the sonic screwdriver out and he took it gratefully. "Hiya." she said.

"Hi." he replied with a smile. "You survived then."

"So did you." Martha replied. "Just about. I can't help noticing…there's Dalekanium still attached."

"Yeah, about that…" he told them.

A/N: Chapter 3. Having computer troubles, so I might be delayed. Let me know what you thought.

Abbey


	39. Evolution of the Daleks: Ending

Disclaimer: I'm actually married to the Doctor. So how's that for rights? :p

Ch. 39:

"The Daleks will have gone straight to a war footing." The Doctor was telling them.

"Keep in mind," Lily added, "war is something they are very good at."

"They'll be using the sewers," The Doctor said, "spreading their soldiers out underneath Manhattan."

"How do we stop them?" Lazlo asked.

"There's only one chance." The Doctor replied. "I got in the way."

"Yeah, almost killing yourself in the process." Lily pointed out, cross with him now that she wasn't out of her mind with worry.

"The gamma strike went zapping through me first." The Doctor continued, choosing to ignore her.

"But what does that mean?" Martha asked.

"We need to draw fire." The Doctor told them. "Before they can attack New York, I need to face them." He ran his hands through his hair. "Think, think, think, think. We need some sort of space, somewhere safe, somewhere out of the way. Tallulah!" he yelled, making the girl jump.

"That's me." she replied. "Three L's and an H."

"The theater!" he told her. "It's right above them, and, what, it's gone midnight? Can you get us inside?" he asked.

"Don't see why not." she answered.

"Is there another lift?" he asked, turning to Martha and Lily.

"We came up in the service elevator." Martha told him.

"That'll do." he replied. "Allons-y!"

"Hold on." Lily called as he set off. He stopped and turned to face her. "There's something we should do first." she told him.

She walked to the nearest pig slave and kneeled next to him. She gently laid two fingers on his forehead and a wave of gold gently rolled across him and the others, leaving only dust in it's wake.

"They deserve better than to be left here to rot." she said, getting to her feet.

"You're right." the Doctor agreed softly. "But we really need to go."

She nodded and followed him to the elevator, slipping her hand in his and squeezing.

"Let's end this." she told him softly.

* * *

"This should do it." The Doctor said as they entered the dark theater. "Here we go." He switched on the sonic screwdriver.

"There ain't nothing' more creepy than a theater in the dark." Tallulah said. "Listen, Doctor, I know you got a thing for show tunes, but there's a time and place, huh?"

Lily snorted and the Doctor gave her an odd look.

_She thinks your gay._ Lily told him, her silent voice filled with humor.

He just stood there and gaped at her until she pointed at the sonic screwdriver and he got back to work.

Suddenly, Lazlo fell into one of the chairs.

"Lazlo, what's wrong?" Tallulah asked, kneeling next to him.

"Nothing." he told her. "It's just so hot."

"But…it's freezing in here." she told him. "Doctor, what's happening to him?"

The Doctor was checking the frequency on the sonic screwdriver, but he turned and gave her a sad look.

"Not now, Tallulah." he told her. "Sorry."

Lily leaned over and rested a hand on Lazlo's cheek and then gave the Doctor a sharp look.

_He's dying! _ she said.

He gave her a sad look, still working.

_I know._

"What are you doing?" Martha asked.

"If the Daleks are going to war, they'll wanna find their number one enemy." he told her. "I'm just telling them where I am."

The Doctor held up the sonic screwdriver and turned it on.

"I don't suppose I can't get you to leave, short of knocking you out again and dragging you out, can I?" The Doctor asked Lily.

She glared at him.

"Try it, and you're going to lose some important bits of your anatomy." she replied.

He turned back to the front.

"Yeah I didn't think so." He sighed. "Martha, you should still go." he said.

"No way." She replied instantly. "I'm not going."

"I'm telling you to go." he said. "Frank can take you back to Hooverville."

"And I'm telling you I'm not going." she replied.

He glared at her.

"Martha, that's an order." he told her.

"Who are you, then?" she asked. "Some sort of Dalek?"

All debate ended as the doors burst open and the human Daleks arrived, flanking them.

"I guess that point is sorta moot now." Lily muttered as she raised a shield around them, but the Doctor laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Lower it." he said in low tones.

"Doctor…" she growled.

"Please." he said. "Trust me."

She growled again, but did as he asked.

"Oh, my God!" Tallulah breathed. "Well I guess that's them then, huh?"

"Humans with Dalek DNA." Lily confirmed.

Frank moved to attack, but the Doctor stopped him.

"It's all right." he told him. "Just stay calm. Don't antagonize them."

"But what about the Dalek masters?" Lazlo asked. "Where are they?"

The stage exploded and they all ducked for cover. When the smoke cleared, they saw two Daleks with Dalek Sec chained between them. The Doctor stood slowly, the others following suit.

"THE DOCTOR WILL STAND BEFORE THE DALEKS!" one of the Daleks commanded.

The Doctor stood on the back of the row in front of them, Lily trying to pull him back down, and walked forward on the backs of each row until he reached the front.

"Stupid…ass…arrogant…time…lord…" they heard Lily mutter.

"YOU WILL DIE, DOCTOR!" the same Dalek told him. "IT IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW AGE!"

"PLANET EARTH WILL BECOME NEW SKARO!" the other Dalek told him.

"Oh, and what a world." the Doctor sneered. "With anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt. That's Dalek Sec." He pointed to the chained Sec. "Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him. Is that your new empire? Hmm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

"My Daleks…" Sec pleaded. "just understand this. If you choose death and destruction, then death and destruction will choose you."

"INNCORRECT!" the first Dalek told him. "WE WILL ALWAYS SURVIVE!"

"NOW WE WILL DESTROY OUR GREATEST ENEMY, THE DOCTOR!" the second Dalek continued.

"Over my dead body!" Lily yelled, but the Doctor held up his hand and she backed down, fuming.

"But he can help you." Sec said, trying to reason with them.

"THE DOCTOR MUST DIE!" the first Dalek proclaimed.

"No," Sec pleaded, "I beg you, don't." He crawled in front of the first Dalek.

"EXTERMINATE!" the second one called.

Sec stood right as the first fired. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Lily clenched her hands into fists.

_This is suicide! _ she told him.

_Just hold on._ he replied.

He could tell she was holding on, with every ounce of strength she had.

_Just a little bit more._ he told her.

"Your own leader." he said out loud, disgusted. "The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you destroyed him." He turned to the human Daleks. "Do you see what they did? Huh? You see what a Dalek really is?"

"WARNING!" the second Dalek called. "DALEK-HUMANS SHOW INCREASED LEVELS OF SEROTONIN!"

"If I'm gonna die," the Doctor called, "let's give the new boys a shot. What do you think, eh? The Dalek-Humans. Their first blood. Go on, baptize them."

The Doctor held his arms out to his sides.

"DALEK-HUMANS," the first Dalek called, "TAKE AIM!"

The Dalek-Humans cocked their weapons and aimed them at the Doctor.

_Doctor…_

_Just a little bit more._

"What are you waiting for?" He called to the Daleks. "Give the command!"

"EXTERMINATE!" the second Dalek ordered.

The Doctor closed his eyes, as did Lily, while Martha ducked her head against Frank's chest, but nothing happened.

"EXTERMINATE!" the second Dalek ordered again.

Nothing.

"OBEY!" the first called. "DALEK-HUMANS WILL OBEY!"

"Not firing." Martha said. "What have you done?" she called to the Doctor.

"YOU WILL OBEY!" the second ordered. "EXTERMINATE!"

"Why?" one of the Dalek-Humans asked hesitantly.

The Doctor turned and looked at him.

"DALEKS DO NOT QUESTION ORDERS!" the first Dalek replied.

"But why?" he asked again.

"Looks like they do now!" Lily called.

"YOU WILL STOP THIS!" the first ordered.

"But…why?" the man asked again.

"YOU MUST NOT QUESTION!" the Dalek again commanded.

"But you are not our master." the man protested. "And we…we are not Daleks."

"No, you're not," the Doctor agreed, "and you never will be." He turned back to the Daleks. "Sorry," he told them, "I got in the way of the lightening strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom."

"IF THEY WILL NOT OBEY," the second Dalek said, "THEN THEY MUST DIE!"

He shot the man, killing him.

"Get down!" the Doctor called, ducking down, but Lily ignored him.

"I don't think so." she growled.

A wave of gold rushed away from her and all the Dalek-Humans fell to the ground, unconscious.

"THE ABOMINATION HAS MADE IT SIMPLER!" the first Dalek called and in a matter of seconds, they were all dead.

"No!" Lily shouted. She shut her eyes and her hair whipped around her head in a invisible wind.

"Daleks!" she called. She opened her eyes, which once again glowed a brilliant gold. "Do you want to see what real power looks like?"

Before they could answer, she raised her hand and a wall of gold hit them, disintegrating them into dust.

"They killed them all." The Doctor said, horrified. "Rather than let them live. An entire species. Genocide."

"Only two of the Daleks have been destroyed." Lazlo said. "One of the Dalek masters must still be alive."

The Doctor stood.

"Oh, yes." he said. "In the whole universe, just one."

He walked towards Lily, but before he could reach her, she was gone.

"Damn it." he yelled before taking off running.

* * *

He entered the lab to find Lily standing in the middle of it, the last Dalek just beyond her.

"Now what?" he called to them as he walked further in.

"YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!" the Dalek told him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." he replied, waving his hand. "Just think about it, Dalek-What was your name?"

"Dalek Caan." he replied.

The Doctor walked forward so he was just behind Lily, who still hadn't looked at him. She was completely cut off from him and it was starting to disturb him.

"Dalek Caan." he said. "Your entire species has been wiped out. And now the Cult of Skaro has been eradicated. Leaving only you. Right now you're facing the only man in the universe who might show you compassion." He grimaced. "'Cause I've just seen one genocide. I won't cause another."

He took another step forward, putting him level with Lily. Her eyes were literally glowing.

"Caan…" he called, "let me help you. What do you say?"

"EMERGENCY TEMPORAL SHIFT!"

Before either Lily or the Doctor could do anything, Dalek Caan was gone.

The Doctor finally turned to Lily.

"Lily?" he called. When he got no response, he frowned. "Dark Phoenix?"

She turned to look at him.

"You didn't kill him." he said.

"No." she replied simply.

"Why?" he asked.

She frowned.

"Because…" she paused, "because you would not have wanted it." she answered.

He stared in shock as she turned back to face where Dalek Caan was.

"You will not see me again." she told him. "At least for a while."

She turned back to him.

"My revenge is satisfied for now." she told him. And then she smiled. "I believe Lily can protect you just fine without my help."

With that, she shut her eyes and when they opened again, they were their normal gray and gold, and the Doctor could feel her in his mind again.

He quickly grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"That was the weirdest thing ever." she said, her voice muffled from where she had buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'm sure." he agreed with a chuckle.

Martha and Tallulah entered, Lazlo supported between them.

"Doctor! Lily!" Martha called. "He's sick!"

Lazlo was breathing heavily, wheezing as they lowered him to the floor. Tallulah kneeled and cradled his head in her lap.

"It's okay." Martha told him. "You're all right."

The Doctor let go of Lily and walked over, kneeling next to him.

"It's his heart." Martha told him. "It's racing like mad. I've never seen anything like it."

"What is it, Doctor?" Tallulah asked. "What's the matter with him? He says he can't breathe. What is it?"

"It's time, sweetheart." Lazlo told her softly.

Lily moved to stand next to the Doctor.

"What do you mean 'time'?" Tallulah asked. "What are you talking about?"

"None of the slaves…survived for long." he told her. "Most of them only lived a few weeks. I was lucky. I held on 'cause I had you. But now…I'm dyin', Tallulah."

"No, you're not." she said, crying. "Not now, after all this. Doctor, can't you do something?" she begged.

"Oh, Tallulah with three L's and an H…" he said, "just you watch me!"

The Doctor stood and took off his coat, handing it to Lily, who took it gladly.

"What do I need?" he asked. "Oh, I don't know. How about a great big genetic laboratory?" He looked around. "Oh look, I've got one. Lazlo, just you hold on."

The Doctor began running around the lab, mixing solutions, talking all the while.

"There's been too many deaths today." he said. "Way too many people have died. Brand new creatures and wise old men and age-old enemies." He glared. "And I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you right now, I'm not having one more death! Got that? Not one! Tallulah, out of the way."

She got quickly up and Lily wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

The Doctor took out his stethoscope and put it on.

"The Doctor is in."

* * *

The Doctor, with Lily holding his hand tightly, Martha, Tallulah, and Lazlo, who was bundled up in an overcoat and hat, waited around a park bench. Finally, Frank joined them.

"Well, I talked to 'em," he said, "and I told 'em what Solomon would've said, and I reckon I shamed one or two of 'em."

"What did they say?" The Doctor asked.

"They said yes." Frank replied, a smile breaking out on his face.

Tallulah hugged Lazlo tightly, Martha clapped her hands together, and Lily wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist tightly.

"They'll give you a home, Lazlo." Frank told him. "I mean, uh, don't imagine people ain't gonna stare. I can't promise you'll be at peace but, in the end, that's what Hooverville is for, people who ain't got nowhere else."

"Thank you." Lazlo told him. "I-I can't thank you enough."

* * *

Back on Liberty Island, Martha and the Doctor stood together, looking out at the Manhattan skyline, while Lily stood a little ways in front of them.

"Do you reckon it's gonna work, those two?" Martha asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor told her. "Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but New York?" He chuckled. "That's what this city's good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and maybe the odd pig-slave-Dalek-mutant-hybrid too."

Martha laughed.

"The Pig and the Showgirl."

"The Pig and the Showgirl." The Doctor agreed, smiling.

"Just proves it, I suppose." Martha said with a sigh. "There's someone for everyone."

The Doctor's smile fell away.

"Maybe." he said, his eyes straying to Lily.

He sighed and turned to Martha.

"Why don't you head back to the TARDIS, while I go get the errant New Yorker up there?" he said.

She nodded and began to walk away before turning back.

"Meant to say…" she said, "sorry."

"What for?" the Doctor asked.

"Just cause, that Dalek got away." she said. "I know what that means to you. To both of you." She paused. "Think you'll ever see it again?" she asked.

"Oh, yes." the Doctor replied.

She smiled and walked to the TARDIS and went inside while the Doctor walked up to Lily.

"Come on, Lily girl." he said. "Time to go."

She turned and looked at him and he saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, wrapping her in a hug.

"I thought I'd lost you so many times today." she sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry." he whispered.

He held her as she cried herself out.

"So," she said when she could speak again. "The bond?"

"Yeah." he replied.

"There's no way to break it now, is there?" she asked, looking up at him.

"No." he told her.

"Good." she said, resting her head back on his chest.

He chuckled.

"I'm glad you think so." he told her. "Cause you're gonna be stuck with me for a while."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." she told him, pulling away. She looked at him seriously. "We will find Caan again." she told him. "One day."

"One day." he agreed.

She smiled and took his hand and lead him back to the TARDIS. Back home.

A/N: And that's the end of EOTD. I'm like some kind of superhero! Feel free to write and tell me how awesome I am. Seriously. Press the button. Do it now.

Abbey


	40. Lazarus Experiment: Change What?

Disclaimer: I have no excuses. I'm just a lowly fan who has no life.

Ch. 40:

Lily pulled the Doctor through the door, laughing at him as he tripped.

"You're such a dork." she told him. He glared at her and she laughed again, letting go of his hand. "I'm gonna go call Jack." she told him.

He nodded and moved to the console and began imputing new coordinates. He flipped a switch and the whole room lurched.

"Hey, no, the Doctor's driving." they heard Lily say into her phone. "I'm pretty sure he won't kill us this time."

"I resent that!" he called to her.

She responded by sticking out her tongue.

"How long are we going to be on Earth?" she called.

"Just a few minutes." he told her as he flipped another switch and the TARDIS lurched to a stop. "There we go…" he said, putting on the parking brake, "perfect landing, which isn't easy in such a tight spot."

"You should be used to tight spots by now." Martha told him with a smile.

"Yeah, no, I'll call you when we're going to stay longer." Lily said into the phone. "No, tell everyone hi from us. Love ya, too. Bye." She hung up and turned back to the others. "You know she has a point."

"Shut it, you." he replied.

"Where are we?" Martha asked.

"The end of the line." the Doctor replied.

Martha rushed to the door.

"No place like it." he continued.

Martha stopped and looked back at him, questioning if she should open the doors or not. He nodded and she went outside.

"Home." she said, turning back as he and Lily stood at the door. "You took me home?"

"It's actually the morning after we left," Lily told her, "so you've only been gone about 12 hours." She gave her a small smile. "No time at all, really."

"But all the stuff we've done-" Martha protested, "Shakespeare, New New York, old New York?"

"Yep, all in one night." The Doctor replied, looking around her apartment. "Relatively speaking. Everything should be just as it was-books, Cds," he picked up a pair of underwear on a drying rack, "laundry."

Martha reached over and grabbed the offending item off his fingertip as Lily smacked the back of his head.

"So," the Doctor continued, rubbing his head, "back where you were, as promised."

"That's it?" Martha asked.

The Doctor took a deep breath.

"Yeah, we should probably.." he said, pointed back to the TARDIS.

Martha's phone rang and the answering machine picked up.

"Martha are you there?" Martha's mom's voice rang out. "Pick it up, will you?"

"It's mum." Martha told them. "It'll wait."

"All right then," her mom continued, "pretend that you're out if you like. I was only calling t say that your sister's on TV. On the news of all things. Just thought you might be interested."

Martha picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

"The details are top secret-" an older man was saying.

"How could Tish end up on the news?" Martha asked.

"I don't know." Lily replied. "The Tish I knew was kinda a ditz. No offence."

"None taken." Martha replied, still looking at the TV.

"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device…" the man continued and they saw that Tish was standing behind him.

"She got a new job." Martha said. "PR for some research lab."

"…with the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human." the man concluded.

Martha turned off the TV.

"Sorry." she said. "You were saying we should-?"

"Yes, yes," he replied, both he and Lily both distracted now, "we should. One trip is what we said."

"Yeah." Martha agreed sadly. "I suppose things just kind of…escalated."

"That happens to him a lot." Lily replied.

Martha smiled.

"Thank you." she told them. "For everything."

"It was my pleasure." the Doctor told her.

Lily walked over and gave her a tight hug.

"You have my number." she said as she released the other woman. "If you need anything, call."

Martha nodded and the Doctor and Lily both entered the TARDIS. Martha watched, despondent as it dematerialized. When it was gone, she looked around, unsure of what to do now, but she quickly turned back when she heard the unmistakable sound of the TARDIS engines returning.

The door opened and the Doctor popped his head out.

"No, I'm sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?" he asked.

Martha smiled and Lily sighed, took her phone out and hit redial.

"Hey it's me again. Apparently we're staying for a little bit longer than planed."

* * *

The Doctor decided that keeping the TARDIS inside Martha's tiny apartment wasn't really the best plan, so they agreed to meet back there when they were ready to go and he moved it to the street below.

"I'm gonna go start to get ready." Lily told him when they were situated.

He stared at her in shock.

"We have four hours." he told her.

She gave him a look that told him that what he had just said was some how very stupid.

"Your point is?" she asked.

"Well how long does it take to get ready?" he asked.

"As long as it takes, Doctor." she told him, annoyed. Without another word she turned on her heel and walked back to her room. There was just one small problem with this.

Her room was his room.

"Lily, I have to get changed eventually too." he called through the locked door.

The door opened and Lily handed him his tux.

"You can change in the wardrobe." she told him and promptly closed the door in his face.

He sighed and took the tux and left it in the wardrobe.

On his way out, though, he spotted something in the jewelry he kept. Things he had picked up and a few things he had rescued from Gallifrey. Among the rescued items was the piece that caught his eye. He quickly grabbed it and found a pen and paper.

A few minutes later, he was standing outside his room, listening through the door, and when he was sure he heard the shower start, he bent down and began trying to open it with the sonic screwdriver.

_What are you doing? _the TARDIS asked him.

_What does it look like?_ he replied.

_She won't appreciate you breaking into the room while she's trying to get ready._ the TARDIS told him. _She's still annoyed with you for knocking her out._

_Yes, well I'm hoping this helps._ The Doctor told her. _And this would go a lot faster if you would just let me in._

_One piece of jewelry will not keep her from being angry with you, Theta._

_Don't call me Theta._ he replied. _And it can't hurt._

The TARDIS sighed, but she opened the door.

_Thank you. _he told her.

_If she asks, you did all this on your own._ she replied grouchily.

_Understood._

He quickly moved to the dressing table and left his gift in front of the mirror.

Then he got the hell out.

* * *

A few hours later, after wasting time in the TARDIS, he got dressed and went upstairs to Martha's.

"You're early." Martha said as she opened the door. She was half dressed, hair and make up done, but she still needed to get dressed.

"Yeah, well, Lily's locked herself in our room and the TARDIS was making fun of me, so I decided to just get out." he told her, walking in.

He plopped himself down on the couch and turned on the TV.

"Don't mind me." he told her. "I'll amuse myself."

She sighed and went back to getting dressed.

A half an hour later, she was ready and they still had about an hour before they had to leave. She was putting on the final touches when there was a knock at the door. Before she could stop him, the Doctor answered it.

Standing in the door was Lily. But she looked nothing like the Lily he usually traveled with. That Lily had straight hair she kept in a ponytail and preferred to ware t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers.

The woman in front of him was wearing a black, beaded dress that had a corset style top, that met at the waist with a chiffon, layered skirt. His eyes traveled down to the strappy stilettos she wore and back up to the curled hair that framed her face, which was wearing make up, and slightly obscured the earrings she had hanging from her ears. He smiled when he saw the necklace she wore around her neck.

"Are you going to invite me in?" she finally asked, tapping her foot.

He just moved back and let her in.

"Oh, wow." Martha said when she caught sight of her friend. "Where did you get that dress?" she asked. "And where did you get those jewels? Are those real diamonds?"

Lily smiled, embarrassed.

"Um, the dress was Ianto's idea." she told her. "Last time I was on Earth, I went shopping with him and he made me buy it. The shoes were Gwen's idea." She looked down at them. "I'm betting I make it three steps before I fall."

_I'll catch you._ the Doctor told her.

She smiled brightly at him.

"What about the stones?" Martha pressed.

"The earrings were a gift from Jack. A welcome to the universe thing." She shuddered. "I didn't dare ask what they were made out of. I just took them and said thank you." She turned back to the Doctor. "Speaking of Jack, there's a package out there that I think is from him. Could you go get it? I didn't dare try to pick it up in this thing." She motioned to the dress.

He nodded and opened the door. Sure enough, there was a package with a Cardiff post mark sitting next to the doorway. He picked it up and shut the door.

"You still haven't told me where you got that rock hanging around your neck." Martha said.

Lily hand went up to grip the stone tightly. If was a clear stone that seemed to flicker with red and gold, set in a silver metal and hanging from a silver chain. On the back was a Gallifreyan symbol.

"This was something I found earlier." she told Martha. "It's a Firepoint Star Diamond."

"It's the only one left, as far as I know." the Doctor told them. "I rescued it from Gallifrey before the fall."

"What do those circles mean?" Martha asked, looking at the necklace closer when Lily gave her permission. "I've seen those on the TARDIS."

"It means…beauty." Lily told her hesitantly, exchanging a look with the Doctor.

"Well it's certainly that." Martha agreed, backing away again. "So what's in the box?"

"I don't know." Lily said. "How much time do we have before we have to leave?" Lily asked.

"Half an hour." Martha replied.

Lily nodded and leaned down to remove the letter attached to the box.

"Dear Lily and Doctor," she read aloud. "Since no one ever knows when you two are gonna be around, I thought I'd get a jump on you. So, use these in good health and Happy Birthday, Lily. Jack Harkness."

"It's your birthday?" Martha asked, slightly put out.

"In two weeks." Lily told her with a smile, folding up the letter. "Technically, I'll be twenty-one."

"Really?" Martha asked, shocked. She had known that Lily was young but she didn't know she was that young.

"Well, in human years, yeah." Lily replied. "By Gallifreyan reckoning, I'm forty-one. If it makes you feel better, by our standards, I'm still a young teenager."

"Well, happy early birthday." Martha told her. "Are you gonna open the box?"

"I really should introduce you to Jack before your next birthday." Lily said as she worked to open the box. "He gives the best gifts, hands down. One year he gave me this beautiful dagger with a phoenix engraved on the blade." She frowned. "I melted it by shoving it through a Dalek's eye stock. Ha!" She had finally gotten the box open.

Inside were two wrapped gifts and one card. She pulled out the smaller of the wrapped package and took the note off it.

"Gwen, Tosh, and Owen: Thought you might like a reminder that you have a family back home on Earth. Happy Birthday." She chuckled. "Owen also added that I should try not to lose it because Gwen and Tosh worked very hard on it and he signed the card."

She opened the package to find a small photo album of Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Tosh, and Owen. There were even some of her and the Doctor from the last time they visited Torchwood. She smiled as she flipped through them and then handed them to the Doctor, who slipped it into a pocket.

She reached for the card next and found that it was from Ianto.

"One free shopping trip with Ianto Jones including his world, or at least Cardiff, famous coffee." Lily read aloud, laughing. She laid it back down in the box and picked up the last gift.

It was a long, thin package and when she took the paper off, it was revealed to be a thin box.

"It can't be." she whispered before ripping the lid off and quickly moving the paper inside. Laying in side was a long, thin dagger in a sheath. She took it out gently and set the box down. She then slowly removed the dagger. On the blade was an engraving of a phoenix in flames.

"It's identical to the one I lost." she said. "I never told him. How could he even find one?" She reached down and firmly attached the blade to her upper thigh and then arranged her skirt so you couldn't even tell it was there.

"Are you ok?" The Doctor asked her softly.

She stared at nothing for a moment before shaking herself.

"Actually, I am." she replied, smiling up at him. "It's funny, but it actually makes me feel better to have it back."

"I'm glad." he told her, smiling back.

"We should really go," Martha said, grabbing her purse, "that is if we want to be on time."

"Do you need to grab a bag?" The Doctor asked Lily, eyeing the phone in her hand.

She smiled at him.

"That's what you're here for." she said before reaching over and slipping the phone into his inner pocket. "If I bring a purse, I'll just lose it." she told him.

He sighed.

"Fine. I will be your pack mule." he told her in a long suffering voice.

"I knew you'd see it my way." she replied.

He shook his head and opened the door for the women. He shut it behind them and Martha locked it up.

And they were off.

A/N: First chapter of Lazarus Experiment done. I lost power and internet twice while trying to write this. How annoying is that? Also I should mention that the Firepoint is my creation, and if you want to see Lily's dress, the link is at the top of the chapter and on my profile. Also Lily's birthday is May 15. I just took the air date of LE and added two weeks. Really thought out, that was. Lol. Anyway, let me know what you thought.

Abbey


	41. Lazarus Experiment: Explode What?

Disclaimer: On going negotiations have a gag order on them, so I'm afraid I can't not comment on the status of my ownership of Doctor Who.

Ch. 41:

Martha, Lily, and the Doctor walked down the street while the Doctor fussed with his cuffs.

"Oh, black tie." he complained. "Whenever I wear this, something bad always happens."

"I got my Doctor to wear a tux once." Lily said. "Afterward, I burned the damn thing, just to be on the safe side."

"It's not the outfit," Martha told him, "that's just you. Anyway, I think it suits you." She smiled. "In a James Bond kind of way." she continued.

"James Bond?" the Doctor asked, thinking about it. "Really?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Lily told him with a grin. "That Sean Connery looks really good in a tux." She laughed when he started to pout and hooked her arm with his. "That said, you do look damn fine."

That seemed to brighten him up, making both Martha and Lily chuckle.

They reached the hall and made their way into the main reception room where the guests were mingling. In the middle of the room was a large white, round, cabinet, surrounded by four pillars with a dome on the top. As they walked in, a woman walked by with a plate of hors d'oeuvres.

The Doctor being the Doctor, had to take one.

"Oh, look," he exclaimed, "they've got nibbles! I love nibbles!"

He went to toss it in his mouth, but it never made it. He looked around to find Lily taking a bite out of the one she had just stolen from him.

"Hey, that was mine!" he told her sternly.

"Snooze you lose." she told him. "And it's no wonder Tallulah thought you were gay, using words like 'nibbles'."

"Nibbles is a perfectly fine word." he told her.

"Whatever." she replied, ending the conversation as Tish joined them.

"Hello." she greeted them with a smile.

"Tish."

Martha leaned over and hugged her sister.

"You look great." Tish told her. "So, what so you think? Impressive, isn't it?"

Martha nodded.

"Very." she replied.

"And two nights out in a row for you-" Tish said in a teasing voice, "that's dangerously close to a social life."

"If I keep this up," Martha replied, smiling, "I'll end up in all the gossip columns."

"You might, actually." Tish told her. "Keep an eye out for photographers. And Mum-" she warned, "she's coming too, even dragging Leo along with her."

"Leo in black tie?" Martha asked, incredulous. "That I must see."

Tish glanced at Lily and the Doctor and then back to Martha.

"This is, uh…" Martha said, scrambling.

"Doctor John Smith." Lily jumped in. "And I'm Lily Carter. It's so nice to finally meet you. Martha's told us all about you."

"Nice to meet you too." Tish said, shaking their hands. "But you're not on the list. How did you get in?"

"We're not?" Lily bluffed. "But we got an invitation."

She reached into the Doctor's pocket again.

_Feel free to help yourself._ he told her sarcastically.

_Thanks, I will._

She finally found what she was looking for and pulled out the psychic paper to show Tish.

"See, invite."

Tish looked at the paper closely and sighed.

"You must have been a late addition." she told them. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Lily replied, slipping the paper back into the Doctor's jacket.

"So," the Doctor said, "this Lazarus bloke, he's your boss?"

"Professor Lazarus, yes." Tish told him. "I'm part of his executive staff."

"She's in the PR department." Martha told them.

"I'm head of the PR department, actually." Tish corrected her.

"You're joking." Martha exclaimed.

"I put this whole think together." Tish replied defensively.

"So do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight?" The Doctor asked. "That looks like it might be a sonic micro field manipulator."

Tish just stared at him and shook her head.

"He's a science geek. I should've known." Tish shrugged. "Gotta get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later."

She left, the Doctor staring after her.

"Science geek?" he asked. "What does that mean?"

"That you're obsessively enthusiastic about it." Martha told him.

He looked a little put out, so Lily wrapped her arm around his waist.

"It's ok." she told him. "I like that about you."

He smiled down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

She squeezed him gently and let go.

"I'm off to find a drink." she told them. "Can I get anyone anything?"

The Doctor shook his head, his attention shifting back to the chamber.

"I'm fine." Martha told her.

Lily nodded and started to back away.

"Watch him." she told Martha. "Don't let him do something stupid."

"Like what?" Martha asked.

"Oh, I don't know." Lily replied. "Blow up the building or something."

"I can hear you, you know?" he asked, not turning away from the machine.

"Yeah, but you don't listen to me." she replied before turning and walking away in search of refreshments.

"No alcohol!" he called after her.

She waved her hand and kept walking.

"Martha." a voice called and both the Doctor and Martha turned to look.

Walking towards them was Francine, Martha's mom.

"Mum!" Martha called as if she hadn't seen her for years. She gave her a big hug.

"Oh!" Francine said, surprised. "All right, what's the occasion?"

"What do you mean?" Martha asked. "I'm just pleased to see you, that's all."

"You saw me last night." Francine pointed out.

"I know." Martha told her. "I just…miss you." She turned to her brother. "You're looking good, Leo."

Leo chuckled.

"Yeah. If anyone asks me to fetch 'em a drink, I'll swing for him." he told her.

"You disappeared last night." Francine said, glancing at the Doctor.

"I…just went home." Martha told her.

"On your own?" Francine asked shrewdly.

Lily chose this moment to reappear.

"Here." she said, handing the Doctor the cup she was carrying. "Hold this for me."

"Seriously." he said, taking her cup. "When was it decided I got to carry all your stuff?"

"You're the resident male." Lily replied. "That's your purpose in life. Also it keeps you out of trouble."

He gave her a look and she shrugged.

"It can't hurt." she told him.

Martha smiled at the interruption.

"Mum, these are friends of mine," she said, "The Doctor and Lily Carter."

"Doctor what?" Francine asked.

"No," Martha explained, "it's just the Doctor. We've been doing some work together."

Leo shook the Doctor's hand while Lily just waved.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Jones." Lily said. "Heard a lot about you."

"Have you?" Francine asked. "What have you heard, then?"

Lily laughed.

"Ok, I lied." she told the older woman. "We know you're Martha's mom, but that's about it."

"We haven't had much time to chat." The Doctor added. "You know, been busy."

"Busy?" Francine asked. "Doing what, exactly?"

"Oh…you know…stuff." the Doctor answered vaguely and was saved from further interrogation by tapping on glass.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lazarus said, standing in front of the chamber, "I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I'm going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you'll awake to a world which will be changed forever."

Lazarus stepped into the chamber and two female technicians started the machine.

"Doctor…" Lily said quietly.

The machine made a high pitched whirl and a bright blue light began pulsing as the four pillars surrounding the chamber began to spin individually, creating a energy field. They then began to spin around the chamber, going faster and faster.

Suddenly, a warning klaxon began blaring.

"Something's wrong." Lily said.

"It's overloading." the Doctor agreed.

He ran to the controls as the techs tried to shut it down. He jumped over a low desk and aimed the sonic screwdriver at the controls. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lily move closer and kneel down so she could rest her hand on the ground.

"Somebody stop him!" an older woman called. "Get him away from those controls!"

"If this thing goes off, it'll take the whole building with it." The Doctor shouted back. "Is that what you want?"

_Actually, I've got it contained._ Lily told him. _The only person the blast would probably kill would be me._

_And that's supposed to make me feel better?_ the Doctor asked her sarcastically.

_No, it's supposed to warn you that, if I die, I'm coming back and haunting your ass._ she told him.

The Doctor pulled one of the main wires connecting the controls to the chamber and it slowly stopped spinning.

Martha quickly ran to the door and as she approached, she briefly saw a flash of gold as Lily let the barrier fall. The Doctor ran to join her, only stopping briefly to help Lily back to her feet.

"Get it open!" The Doctor ordered and the techs complied.

They all stared in disbelief as the doors opened and the smoke cleared. There stood Lazarus, forty years younger.

He touched his face, seemingly amazed himself that it worked. He stepped out completely and stood in front of his machine as Lily, Martha, and the Doctor watched, stunned.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lazarus once again called, "I am Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn."

* * *

People were all jumping at the chance to have their picture taken with Lazarus as Martha and Lily watched the Doctor study the machine. Well, Martha watched, Lily glared.

"Ok." he said, looking up at her. "Stop it."

"I'm burning the Tux and there is nothing you can do to stop me." Lily replied.

"It can't be the same guy." Martha said. "It's impossible. It must be a trick."

"Oh, it's not a trick." The Doctor replied. "I wish it were."

Martha stared at him.

"What just happened, then?" she asked.

"He just changed what it means to be human." the Doctor replied.

"No, it's not his fault." Lily told him. "It's the tux's."

"There is absolutely no way you can blame this on an article of clothing." he said, exasperated.

She glared at him again.

"Just watch me." she told him.

"Come on." he said, ignoring her. "Let's go talk to the new Professor Lazarus."

They made their way over and arrived right as he began shoveling a whole plate of hors d'oeuvres into his mouth. The older woman, who was standing with him, looked on, aghast.

"Richard!" she rebuked.

"I'm famished." he defended himself.

"Energy deficit." The Doctor told him as they came up behind him. "Always happens with this kind of process."

"You speak as if you see this every day, Mr-" Lazarus replied.

"Doctor." The Doctor told him. "And, well, no, not every day, but I have some experience in this kind of transformation."

"That's not possible." Lazarus replied.

"Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of resonance." The Doctor continued. "That's-that's inspired."

"You understand the theory, then." Lazarus said, smiling.

"Enough to know that you couldn't possibly have allowed for all the variables." The Doctor told him.

"No experiment is entirely without risk." Lazarus said.

"That thing nearly exploded." Lily told him. "You might have well stepped into a blender."

"You're not qualified to comment, miss." the older woman told her with distain.

Lily glared right back at her, not missing a beat.

"Carter, and no, I'm not." she agreed. "But he is." she said, pointing to the Doctor. "And if he hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded. And instead a room of brilliant minds, you would have had a room of very dead corpses."

"Then I thank you, Doctor." Lazarus said, stepping in. "But that's a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less."

"You've no way of knowing that until you've run proper tests." Martha told him.

"Look at me!" Lazarus replied, laughing. "You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need."

"This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially."

"You've got to be joking." Lily sneered. "Introducing that to the public will create chaos."

"Not chaos." Lazarus protested. "Change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve."

"This isn't about improving." The Doctor told him. "It's about you and your customers living a little longer."

"Not a little longer, Doctor." Lazarus replied. "A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely."

"And you think that's something to aspire to?" Lily asked, amazed. "Wow, you're dumber than I thought."

"Richard, we have things to discuss." the older woman said, obviously insulted, but Lily didn't seem to really care. "Upstairs."

She walked away, and Lazarus moved to follow.

"Goodbye, Doctor and Miss Carter." he said. "In a few years, you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were."

Lazarus reached out to take Lily's hand, but seemed to rethink it when the Doctor wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into him, so he moved the motion to Martha, taking her hand and kissing the back of it before leaving.

"Ooh," the Doctor fumed, "he's out of his depth. No idea of the damage he might have done."

"Yeah, well that woman makes me want to shove her off a cliff." Lily said, disgustedly. "England's got lots of those, right?"

"So what do we do now?" Martha asked. "Besides find Lily a cliff."

"Now…" the Doctor said, "well, this building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests."

"You mean with real equipment, not DNA scanners gerry-rigged out of a radio?" Lily asked with false enthusiasm.

"Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then isn't it?" Martha said with a smile, holding up her hand.

"Oh, Martha Jones," the Doctor said, returning her smile, "you're a star."

They quickly turned and headed off.

A/N: Second chapter done. I actually can't believe I'm still writing. I think this is the most chapters I have ever put out this fast. Anyway, you guys know the drill.

Abbey


	42. Lazarus Experiment: Hacked What?

Disclaimer: Just owning Lily is hard work. I'm not quite sure I want to own the others. Let me get back to you on that.

Ch.42:

Martha and the Doctor sat huddled around a computer screen while Lily stood a few feet away, studying first her dagger and then the wall.

"Do you think this building is owned by Lady Stick-up-my-"

"Lily." the Doctor interrupted, not even looking up.

"What?" Lily asked innocently. "Do think it is?"

"Probably." Martha replied. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason." Lily said.

She flipped the dagger so she was holding it by the blade, pulled her arm back, and threw it, embedding it in the wall a few feet in front of her.

"Lily!" Martha rebuked her.

Lily just stared at it unhappily for a moment before walking over and removing the blade.

"That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be." Lily complained.

"Amazing." the Doctor said, cutting off Martha's next remark.

"What?" Martha asked him.

"Lazarus's DNA." he replied.

Lily sighed and walked over to join them.

"I can't see anything different." Martha replied.

"Look at it!" The Doctor reiterated.

The image on the screen flickered.

"Oh man." Lily said, leaning over the Doctor to get a closer look. "What did this moron do?"

"Did that just change?" Martha asked, shocked. "But it can't have!"

"But it did." The Doctor replied.

"It's impossible." Martha told him flatly.

"And that's two impossible things we've seen tonight." he said. "Don't you love it when that happens?"

"No." Lily replied.

He looked up at her and saw her smile.

"Liar." he told her with a matching smile.

"That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns." Martha said, trying to understand what was going on.

"Hypersonic sound waves to destabilize the cell structure then a mutagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands." the Doctor explained.

"He hacked his own genes." Lily said, shaking her head. "Then he instructed them to rejuvenate. If it wasn't such a moronic, idiotic idea, I'd almost be impressed."

"But they're still mutating now." Martha pointed out.

"Cause he missed something." the Doctor replied. "Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilize. Something that's trying to change him."

"Change him into what?" Martha asked.

"I dunno." the Doctor answered. "But I think we need to find out."

"Lady Stick said they were going upstairs." Lily said.

"Let's go." the Doctor said, leading them to the door.

* * *

They stepped out of the elevator and the Doctor turned on the lights.

"This is his office, all right." Martha said looking around.

"So," the Doctor asked, "where is he?"

"Dunno." Lily said. "Let's try back at the re…oh crap."

She walked over behind the desk and sighed.

"I am so going to hell." she told them.

They walked over to join her and found a set of skeleton remains. A skeleton wearing high heels.

"Please tell me that isn't Lady Stick." Lily said, closing her eyes.

"Used to be." the Doctor replied.

"Does it make me a horrible person if I say I can't seem to muster up the energy it would take to really care all that much?" Lily asked.

"Yes." the Doctor and Martha answered at the same time.

"Yep, I'm going to hell." Lily said.

"It's just a shell." the Doctor said, leaning down for a closer look. "Had all the life energy drained out. Like squeezing the juice out of an orange."

"Pleasant." Lily said, making a face.

"Lazarus." Martha realized.

"Could be." the Doctor agreed.

"So he's changed already." Lily said. "Fantastic."

"Not necessarily." the Doctor told her. "You saw the DNA. It was fluctuating. The process must demand energy. This might not have been enough."

"So he might do this again?" Martha asked, horrified.

"Hmm." the Doctor responded.

They all took off to the elevator.

* * *

They reached the reception and immediately began looking for Lazarus.

"I can't see him." Martha said, craning her neck.

"He can't be far." Lily said, the Doctor walking on. "Keep looking."

"Hey, you all right, Marth?" they heard a voice behind them ask. They turned to find Leo standing behind them. "I think Mum wants to talk to you."

"Have you seen Lazarus anywhere?" Martha asked him.

"Yeah." Leo replied, looking confused. "He was getting cozy with Tish a couple of minutes ago."

"Doctor!" Lily yelled over her shoulder, startling several people nearby.

He joined them a moment before Francine did.

"With Tish?!" Martha asked, horrified.

"Ah, Doctor." Francine said, but the Doctor ignored her.

"Where did they go?" he demanded.

"Upstairs I think." Leo told them. "Why?"

"Doctor-" Francine tried again, but the Doctor rushed past her, Lily running with him, her hand in his. "I'm speaking to you!" she called after them.

"Not now, Mum!" Martha told her before rushing after them.

* * *

"Where are they?" Martha asked as they arrived back in Lazarus's office.

"Not here." Lily replied, looking around.

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver.

"Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature." the Doctor told them. "I might be able to pick it up."

He held the sonic screwdriver out at arm's length and slowly turned in a circle. As he turned, the beeping increased.

"Got him." the Doctor announced.

"Where?" Martha asked, sounding worried.

The Doctor pointed the screwdriver up at the ceiling and it went nuts.

"But this is the top floor!" Martha protested.

"The roof!" Lily said, running for the stairs.

"..is it like you expected?" they heard Tish ask as they stepped outside.

"I find that nothing's ever exactly like you expect." Lazarus told her. "There's always something to surprise you." He took a deep breath. "Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act-"

"Falls the shadow." the Doctor finished, causing them to turn.

"So the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot." Lazarus said. "I'm impressed."

"Martha, what are you doing here?" Tish demanded.

"Tish, get away from him." Martha told her seriously.

"What?" Tish asked, sounding every inch the younger sibling. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus," the Doctor said, "what with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all."

"You're right, Doctor." Lazarus told him. "One lifetime's been too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more would I get done in two or three or four?"

"Doesn't work like that." Lily told him coming up next to the Doctor. "Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters; it's the person." She gave him a look. "And the little I know of you, I fairly certain that one life was quite enough for the rest of us."

"But if it's right person," Lazarus replied, "what a gift that would be."

"Or what a curse." the Doctor shot back. "Look at what you've done to yourself."

"Who are you to judge me?" Lazarus spat.

"Over here, Tish." Martha called urgently.

Tish took a step towards Martha.

"You have to spoil everything, don't you?" she asked. "Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault."

Behind Tish, Lazarus began to convulse. Lily began backing away, dragging the Doctor with her.

"Tish, he's a monster!" Martha shouted at her sister.

"I know the age thing's a bit freaky," Tish replied, not moving, "but it works for Catherine Zeta-Jones."

"Yo, moron." Lily called, still backing up. "We mean honest to God monster."

She pointed and Tish turned to look. A giant half human-half scorpion was rearing up right behind her.

"Run!" the Doctor yelled, and they didn't waste a second.

The moment they were through, the Doctor slammed the door shut and locked it with the sonic screwdriver.

"Go." Lily told him, laying a hand on the door. "I'll give you time."

"Un huh." he said, grabbing her arm and pulling, but she resisted. "There is no way I'm letting you stay here." he told her.

She glared up at him.

"I'm not giving you a choice." she said. "That lock isn't going to hold, so I will." She looked down. "Please, just go."

He gripped her chin and made her look at him.

"Not without you." he told her softly.

She stared at him for a moment before growling.

"I hate you." she told him.

"Good." he said, pulling her away again, and this time she let him. "As long as you're alive to do it."

The four of them ran to the elevator and Martha pushed the button.

"Are you okay?" she asked her sister.

Tish just shuddered.

"I was gonna snog him." she told them.

"Yeah probably not the best course of action." Lily said over the sound of Lazarus banging on the door. "Is there anyway to make this thing go faster?"

Just then, sirens rang through the building and a computerized warning came over the PA.

"What's happening?" Martha yelled.

"Uh, an intrusion." Tish answered. "It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts, seals the exits."

"That's a really bad system!" Lily yelled at her.

"He must be breaking through the door." the Doctor said. "The stairs, come on!"

As they hit the stairs, they heard the unmistakable sound of the door breaking.

"He's inside!" Martha called.

"Feeling good about your decision to make me come with you, now?" Lily yelled to the Doctor.

"Haven't got much time!" he reminded her and they kept running.

They made it to the reception and slowed.

"Tish!" the Doctor said. "Is there another way out of here?" he asked.

"There's an exit in the corner," she told him, "but it'll be locked now."

The Doctor tossed the sonic screwdriver to Martha, who caught it, surprised.

"Martha, setting fifty-four." he told her quickly. "Hurry."

He jumped up on the platform in front of Lazarus's machine while Lily franticly tried to identify where Lazarus was going to appear.

"Listen to me!" the Doctor called. "You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!"

"Don't be ridiculous." One woman called back. "The biggest danger here is choking on an olive."

"Hey, don't be an ass-" Lily started but before she could finish, glass shattered and Lazarus landed in the middle of the floor, sending chairs and tables flying.

The Doctor watched, horrified as one of the chairs flew into Lily, slamming her into a wall before she fell to the ground and didn't get up.

"Martha!" he screamed.

Martha, who had been helping Tish get people out, turned when she heard the Doctor yell her name. She turned and saw him facing off with Lazarus and looked for Lily. "Oh no." she breathed when she saw Lily's unmoving form.

"Keep people moving." she told Tish before running to Lily.

When she skidded to halt next to the woman, Lily was slowly beginning to stir.

"Come on." Martha said, wrapping Lily's arm around her shoulder and heaving her up.

"No." Lily protested weakly.

"Yeah right." Martha replied, dragging her to the door. "If I let you stay in here, the Doctor'll have my head."

Lily was too out of it to really fight, so Martha moved her quickly outside. They heard The Doctor yell for Lazarus to stop, but they kept moving. Finally, they were outside.

The Doctor gave them one last look before he turned back to Lazarus.

"What's the point if you can't control it?" The Doctor asked him. "The mutation's too strong. Killing those people won't help you." He gave him a sneer Lily would have been proud of. "You're a fool, a vain old man who thought he could defy Nature. Only Nature got her own back, didn't she? You're a joke, Lazarus! A footnote in the history of failure!"

He suddenly turned and ran, leading Lazarus away from the reception. Away from Lily.

A/N: Third chapter. Something is going on in my neighborhood. The power keeps going out. It makes writing a little difficult. Anyway. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!! Thank you.

Abbey


	43. Lazarus Experiment: Back From What?

Disclaimer: I love the Doctor and he loves me, so we're all set to run off to Vegas, when this tramp named BBC came in and stole him away. At least that's the story I'm telling. The tramp probably has some other story. Something about him being a fictional character and being her intellectual property. Whatever.

Ch. 43

Once they were outside of the room, they had to get out of the building. Panic, injury, and supporting Lily and Leo were making this slightly difficult. Thankfully, Lily bizarre physiology, which was healing her fairly quickly, was making it a tad easier.

"I can walk." she told Martha.

"Are you sure?" Martha asked, suspicious. "You were barely conscious two seconds ago."

"Put it this way," Lily told her crossly, "get off me before I rip your arm off." Lily sighed. "I won't run after him. Getting people out is what's important."

Martha nodded and went to examine Leo.

"What's the Doctor doing?" Tish asked as they lowered Leo to the ground.

"Besides being a idiotic, moronic, misogynistic, jack ass, Time Lord?" Lily replied, yelling the last bit back towards where the Doctor ran.

"You know he can't hear you right?" Martha asked her.

"Oh ho ho." Lily laughed without humor. "He can hear me."

"I'm not even going to ask." she replied. "He's trying to buy us sometime." she said to her sister, answering her question. "Let's not waste it. Leo look at me." she ordered. "Let me see your eyes." She turned to her mother. "He's got a concussion. You'll need to help him downstairs."

She went to a nearby ice bucket that had been dropped in the rush to get out and put some ice in a napkin, which she then handed to her mother.

"This'll keep the swelling down." she told them.

"Go." Lily said. "I'll be right behind you."

When they hesitated, Martha started to herd them along.

"Tish, move!" she said. "We need to get out of here!" She turned back to Lily. "You coming?"

Lily stood staring behind them for a minute before taking a deep breath and turning back to Martha.

"Yeah." she said, and they took off.

* * *

The Doctor ran into a service hall filled with all sorts of pipes. He slowed and moved through as quietly as he could.

"It's no good, Doctor." Lazarus hissed. "You can't stop me."

"Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?" the Doctor asked. "Because that arrogance already hurt someone I care for very much."

"The arrogance is yours." Lazarus replied. "You can't stand in the way of progress."

"You call feeding on innocent people progress?" the Doctor demanded. "You're delusional!"

"It is a necessary sacrifice." Lazarus told him.

"That's not your decision to make." The Doctor replied.

* * *

The partygoers, who were really wishing they had just stayed home, reached the door to discover a new problem. The door was locked still.

"We can't get out!" Tish moaned. "We're trapped!"

"I could blast them." Lily said.

"Lets keep that in reserve." Martha told her. "I'm still not convince you're 100%, and we may need you later."

"Wimp." was Lily's only response.

"There must be an override switch." Martha said, ignoring the jab. "Where's the Security Desk? Tish!" she yelled to get her sister's attention.

"Right there!" she answered, pointing.

Martha ran to it an slid over the top.

"Nice form." Lily said, walking around it.

Martha just ignored her and began checking the panel before pointing the sonic screwdriver and turning it on. A second later the lights turned back on and the doors slid open.

"Nice job." Lily told her. "Now let's get everyone the hell out of dodge."

* * *

The lights came on in the tunnel the Doctor was hiding in too.

"Peek-a-boo." came a voice from above.

The Doctor looked up to see Lazarus hanging from the ceiling.

"Oh," he said, "hello."

Then he ran.

* * *

Once they were all outside, Lily stopped and turned to Martha.

"I'm going back." she told her. "Seal the doors after me and don't let anyone in."

"No way in hell." Martha told her.

"I don't have time to argue." Lily told her. "He's in there and he's alone. I can find him more easily on my own." she grabbed Martha's hand and held it tight. "Your place is here. With your family. And so is mine. The only problem is, my family's in there, fighting a giant scorpion."

"You're wrong." Martha replied. "My place is with you and with the Doctor. I'm going with you."

"You can't!" Francine told her. "You saw that thing did. It'll kill you. She wants to risk her neck, fine, but you stay."

"No, I won't." Martha replied. "I have to go."

"It's that Doctor, isn't it?" Francine demanded. "That's what's happened to you. That's why you've changed."

"He was buying us time, Martha." Tish told her. "Time for you to get out, too."

"I'm not leaving him." Martha replied. "And I won't let her go alone."

"Martha!" Francine protested, but they started off.

Before they could get far though, Lily stumbled.

"Tish!" she called, walking quickly back. "I'm going to have you do something very important to me." She leaned down and slipped off her shoes. "Keep these safe." she told her. "They are very comfortable and very expensive, so guard them with your life. If I die, you get second shot at them. Martha gets first, but that's just cause I know her better."

Without another word, she and Martha ran back up the stairs, leaving Tish and Francine standing there in shock.

* * *

The Doctor entered a lab and immediately began fiddling with the batter of a light fixture, leaving several wires exposed. He then moved around the lab, turning on all the gas jets. He ducked down when he heard Lazarus.

"More hide and seek, Doctor?" Lazarus called. "How disappointing. Why don't you come out and face me?"

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" the Doctor called back. He then stood up. "Why would I wanna face that, hmm?"

He ran from the room, flicking a switch as he left, causing the room to explode behind him.

* * *

Lily and Martha heard the explosion and stopped.

"Found him." they said together before running towards the sound.

They ran right into him as they rounded a coroner.

"Lily!" he said, grabbing her in a tight hug, which she immediately returned. He leaned back and took her face in his hands, kissing her forehead.

"You're alright?" he asked, studying her face. "I saw you go down, and I thought…and then I heard you yelling about Time Lords and thought you were delusional."

"Well, now you know how I feel when you do dumb things." Lily replied. "And I call you a dumb Time Lord all the time, why would that surprise you?"

The Doctor just shook his head and hugged her again before turning to Martha.

"What are you doing here?" he asked them both.

"I'm returning this." Martha said, holding out the sonic screwdriver. "I thought you might need it."

"I'm just here to save your sorry ass." Lily told him. "Mainly so I can kick it."

"How did you-?" he began, but Martha cut him off.

"We heard the explosion." she told him. "Guessed it was you."

"I blasted Lazarus." he explained.

"Did you kill him?" Lily asked.

There was a crash and they saw Lazarus coming right at them.

"More sort of annoyed him, I'd say." The Doctor replied.

"I'm so proud." Lily said before grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hall.

They ran all the way back to the reception hall.

"What now?" Martha demanded. "We've just gone 'round in a circle!"

"We can't lead him outside." The Doctor said, spotting the machine. "Come on, get in."

They ran over to it and Lily took one look and started to back away.

"Come on, Lily." he told her, but she shook her head.

"There isn't enough room for three." she told him. "There isn't enough room for two, but of the three of us, I'm the only one who had a personal shield. And I'll hide." She pushed him towards the door. "I'll be fine, just find away to take him out."

He nodded reluctantly and got in with Martha. Lily was right, there wasn't enough room for two.

"Are we hiding?" Martha whispered.

"No," the Doctor answered, "he know we're here. But this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us."

"But we're trapped!" Martha told him. "And Lily's exposed out there."

"Well, yeah, that's a slight problem." he replied.

She stared at him.

"You mean you don't have a plan?" she demanded.

He was silent for a moment.

"Lily says to tell you I never have a plan." he told her. "But that's not true. I had a plan. The plan was to get inside here!"

_That's a really bad plan._ Lily told him. _Next time stick to no plan._

"Then what?" Martha asked.

"Well…" the Doctor said. "Then I'd come up with another plan."

"In your own time, then." Martha told her sarcastically.

_Uh, make it fast. _Lily told him. _He's here._

_Has he spotted you? _the Doctor asked.

_Not yet, but I would prefer an idea before that happens._ she replied.

The Doctor reached into his pocket, which in such tight quarters, was not such an easy feat.

"Hey!" Martha protested when he poked her.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." He said as he finally got the sonic screwdriver out. "Here we are."

"What are you gonna do with that?" Martha asked.

"Improvise." he told her, sliding slowly to the floor and popping open a panel.

"I still don't understand where that thing came from." Martha told him. "Is it alien?"

"No," he replied, "for once it's strictly human in origin."

He used to the sonic screwdriver on the wire attached to the panel.

"Human?" Martha asked. "How can it be human?"

"Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus's DNA." he told her. "The energy field in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant."

"So it's a throwback." Martha stated.

"Some option that evolution rejected for you millions of years ago," the Doctor told her, "but the potential is still there. Locked away in your genes, forgotten about until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake." All the while, he kept working.

"It's like Pandora's box." Martha said.

"Exactly." the Doctor agreed. "Nice shoes, by the way."

_Musical Theater, Doctor._ Lily told him. _Also Lazarus is doing that thing you hoped he wouldn't figure out to do._

A blue light began to fill the capsule.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Martha asked, worried.

"Sounds like he's switched the machine on." The Doctor told her calmly.

"That's not good, is it?" she asked.

"Well, I was hoping it was gonna take him a little bit longer to work that out." he told her.

The machine began to spin.

"I don't want to hurry you, but-" Martha yelled.

"Yeah, but Lily does." he told her. "I know, I know. Nearly done."

"What're you doing?" Martha asked.

"Trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it." he told her.

"Will that kill him?" she wanted to know.

"When he transforms, he's three times his size-cellular triplication-" he told her, "so he's spreading himself thin."

"What about Lily?" Martha asked.

"She's known what I was doing since the moment I thought of it." he told her with a grin. "Believe me, she's ready for what's coming her way."

"We're gonna end up like him!" Martha reminded him.

"Just one more!"

The Doctor pulled a wire and the energy field changed, moving out from the capsule. It knocked Lazarus away and hit a shield around Lily where she was kneeling on the floor, covering her head.

The Doctor opened the door and stepped out, Martha right behind him.

"I thought we were gonna go through the blender then." Martha told him.

"Really shouldn't take that long just to reverse the polarity." the Doctor said, frowning.

"You must be out of practice." Lily said, coming up next to him and slipping her hand in his.

They walked to were Lazarus was lying on the floor. He was human again and naked.

"Oh, God." Martha said softly. "He seems so…human again. It's kind of pitiful."

The Doctor nodded sadly.

"Eliot saw that, too." he told her.

"This is the way the world ends," Lily quoted, "not with a bang, but with a whimper."

* * *

Medical services took the body away while Martha, the Doctor, and Lily watched from the steps. Lily shivered and the Doctor shrugged his jacket off, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Thanks." she told him softly.

"I really thought I'd lost you for a moment." he told her. "When you lost consciousness, I couldn't hear your mind. I was terrified."

"I know." she replied.

"I can't lose you." he told her. "Not after Rose."

"I'll make you a deal." she told him. "You be careful as you can, and I'll do the same."

He smiled and nodded.

"She's here!" they heard someone shout. They looked up to see Tish running to them. "Oh, she's all right." She said, grabbing Martha in a hug.

"Ah, Mrs. Jones," the Doctor said brightly, "we still haven't finished our chat."

Francine slapped him across the face. She went to do it again, but Lily grabbed her wrist, tight.

"Don't even think about doing that ever again." Lily said, her eyes flashing.

"Keep away from my daughter." Francine said, wrenching her arm away. "Both of you."

"Mum, what are you doing?" Martha demanded.

Lily ignored them all, moving the Doctor's hand to look at his cheek, which was very red.

"All their mothers," he said to her, whining slightly. "every time."

"Yeah, and they weren't even at your trial." She told him, smiling. "Mine was."

"How do you know that?" he asked curiously.

She smirked.

"I looked up the record." she told him.

"He is dangerous!" Francine yelled at Martha. "I've been told things."

"What are you talking about?" Martha asked her.

Francine took her by the shoulders.

"Look around you!" she demanded. "Nothing but death and destruction!"

"That isn't his fault!" Martha shouted back. "He saved us, all of us!"

"It was Tish who invited everyone to this thing in the first place." Leo added. "I'd say technically, it's her fault."

Lily snorted as Tish elbowed Leo in the side, but turned with the Doctor when they heard a loud crash. They looked at each other and Martha before running off. Martha moved to follow them, but Francine held her back.

"Leave him." she told her daughter, but Martha shook her head and ran after them.

"Martha!" Tish called.

"Not you, too?" Francine demanded.

Tish shrugged.

"Sorry." she told her mother before running after her sister.

Tish joined them as they ran down the street to the ambulance that had taken Lazarus's body. When they reached it, the Doctor pulled the doors open to reveal the dried husks that used to be the medics.

"Lazarus, back from the dead." he said. "Should've know, really."

A/N: We're into the home stretch for this episode. So I have a problem. I really, really like Matt Smith as the Doctor. And believe me, I tried to hate him. He's just so damn cute! And I also really like Amy. I feel like such a tramp! *breaks down crying* Someone please tell me that it's okay to like both ten and eleven! You know how you should do it? In a review.

Abbey


	44. Lazarus Experiment: Goodbye, what?

Disclaimer: The BBC called. They said I can have it, but only if I promise to answer every letter that's complaining about something they did. I said I'd have to get back to them.

Ch. 44:

The Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver and began looking for Lazarus again.

"Where did you put my shoes?" Lily asked Tish.

"Uh, I gave them to my mum." she told her.

Lily groaned.

"I'll never see them again." she whined. "I really liked those."

"I'll buy you a new pair." the Doctor told her.

"Humph." Lily told him. "You better. They were hot and comfortable. Do you have any idea how rare that is?"

"Where's he gone?" Martha asked, interrupting Lily.

"That way." the Doctor said, pointing. "The church."

"Cathedral." Tish corrected. "It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me."

They ran off, all the way to the cathedral.

When they entered, they proceeded down the aisle, the Doctor in front and Lily holding his hand just behind him.

"Do you think he's in here?" Martha whispered.

"Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?" the Doctor asked.

"You." Lily answered. "Or the TARDIS. Or Jack."

He turned and looked at her.

"Oh." she said. "Was that a rhetorical question?"

"Yeah." he said, turning back around. "But good to know."

They moved through the empty cathedral to the space behind the altar and underneath the bell tower. Lazarus was there, huddled in a red blanket, gasping.

"I came here before." he told them. "A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat there, just a child…the sound of planes and bombs outside."

"The Blitz." Lily whispered.

"You've read about it." Lazarus said.

"We were there." the Doctor told him.

"You're too young." Lazarus scoffed.

"So are you." Lily told him.

Lazarus laughed but it quickly turned into gasps of pain as he fought the mutation. Lily moved forward but the Doctor held her back.

_I might be able to help him._ she told him, looking up at his face.

_No one can help him._ The Doctor replied. _His body's too damaged now._

"In the morning, the fires had died and I was still alive." Lazarus continued. "I swore I'd never face death like that again."

The Doctor began waking around him slowly, looking up at the bell tower.

"So defenseless." Lazarus said. "I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today." the Doctor said.

"That's what I did today." Lazarus shot back.

"What about the other people who died?" Lily asked him softly.

"They were nothing." he told her. "I changed the course of history."

"Any of them might have done, too." The Doctor told him. "You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that."

"No, Doctor." Lazarus disagreed. "Avoiding death. That's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fiber of our being. I'm doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more…successful."

He groaned again as his body tried to change.

"Look at yourself!" Lily yelled at him. "You're mutating! You've no control over it! You call that a success?"

"I call it progress." he told her. "I'm more now than I was. More than just an ordinary human."

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human." the Doctor told him.

"He's gonna change again at any minute." Martha whispered.

"I know." the Doctor whispered back. "If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work."

"Up there?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"You're so sentimental, Doctor." Lazarus told him. "Maybe you are older than you look."

"I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one." he replied. "In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to you." His eyes locked with Lily's. "Tired of watching everything turn to dust." He squatted down next to Lazarus. "If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you end up alone."

"That's a price worth paying."

"Is it?" Lily asked him. "Because I've watched everyone I love die, and I don't think it is."

Lazarus's body shook again.

"I will feed soon." he told them.

"I'm not gonna let that happen." the Doctor replied.

"You've not been able to stop me so far." Lazarus said.

Without them noticing, Martha had come up behind Lazarus.

"Leave them, Lazarus." she called. "They're old and bitter. Thought you had a taste for fresher meat."

"Martha, no!" The Doctor yelled, and Lily went to distract Lazarus, but Martha and Tish took off and Lazarus followed.

"What are you doing?" Martha yelled to her sister.

"Keeping you out of trouble!" Tish yelled back.

"Doctor!" Martha screamed. "The tower!"

The two women ran up a narrow spiral staircase and Lazarus followed, but he began screaming.

"Did you hear that?" Tish whispered.

"He's changed again." Martha told her. "We've got to lead him up."

* * *

"Where are they?" Lily asked frantically. "Martha?!"

"Lily!" Martha called from one of the archways.

"Take him to the top," the Doctor ordered her, "the very top of the bell tower, d'you hear me?"

"Up to the top!" she confirmed.

"Martha…" Tish whispered.

They turned and saw Lazarus making his way along the passage way.

"Then what?" Martha yelled to the Doctor.

"Martha come on!" Tish yelled, dragging her sister along.

* * *

The Doctor ran to the large pipe organ and went to sit, but Lily pushed him out of the way.

"I'm the actual musician." she told him, taking her place at the keyboard. "I can't do a lot, but this I can do."

"Fine." he replied and started helping her pull out all the stops.

* * *

Martha and Tish arrived at the top of the bell tower.

"There's nowhere to go!" Tish moaned. "We're trapped."

"This is where he said to bring him." Martha assured her.

"All right, so we're not trapped." Tish agreed. "We're bait."

"He knows what he's doing." Martha told her. "They both do. We have to trust them."

"Ladies." Lazarus hissed.

They turned to see him blocking the only doorway.

"Stay behind me." Martha ordered her sister. "If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs, you should have enough time."

"But-" Tish protested, but Martha cut her off.

"Just do it, Tish." she ordered.

Lazarus attacked, swinging down his tail.

* * *

Down at the organ, Lily and the Doctor heard one of the girls scream.

"I hope this place's got good acoustics." Lily told him. "Otherwise, we're totally screwed."

She set her hands on the organ and began playing.

* * *

Lazarus knocked away part of the wall, hitting Martha with his tail and knocking her over the edge and leaving her hanging there.

"Martha!" Tish screamed.

Lazarus leaped across to stand over Martha.

"Hold on!" Tish yelled to her sister before turning to Lazarus. "Get away from her!"

* * *

Lily played more frantically, but it wasn't having the desired effect.

"This isn't working, Doctor!" Lily yelled to him. "What else you got?"

He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the volume control on the organ.

"We need to turn this up to eleven." he told her.

Immediately, the sound jumped.

* * *

Up in the bell tower, Tish held her head in agony as the sound waves from the organ resonated in the small space, while Lazarus began to writhe, and Martha held on for dear life. Finally, Lazarus fell over the edge and to the ground.

Lily stopped playing and Tish ran to Martha.

"I've got you." she told her. "Hold on."

"Martha?" the Doctor called.

Tish pulled Martha back onto the walkway and they both clung to each other, sobbing.

"I'm okay!" Martha called. "We're both okay!" She turned back to her sister. "Thanks." she told her.

"It's your Doctor and Lily you should be thanking." Tish told her.

"Told you they'd think of something." Martha replied.

"They cut it a bit fine there, didn't he?" Tish asked.

"He always does." Martha told her with a laugh. "And then Lily yells at him for it."

At this moment they heard just that happening.

"THIS WAS YOUR BRILLIANT PLAN?!" Lily was yelling.

"You know it was!" The Doctor tried to defend himself.

"I THOUGHT THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAN THIS!"

Martha and Tish both chuckled.

"Who are they?" Tish asked.

"They're…" Martha said hesitantly, "they're the Doctor and Lily."

* * *

The Doctor kneeled next to Lazarus and closed his eyes. As he did this, Lazarus turned back into an old man.

"Martha!" Lily yelled, running to her friend and grabbing her in a tight hug, which Martha returned.

The Doctor walked over and grabbed Martha when Lily let her go and hugged a surprised Tish.

"I didn't know you could play." Martha told him.

"Oh, well, you know," he told her, "if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up."

"Don't make me come over there and beat the crap out of you." Lily growled.

"And then it helps that Lily can actually play." he said meekly.

"Good choice." she replied.

"Well, playing loud seems to be something you two are good at." Martha told them, smiling.

The Doctor leaned forward.

"Sorry?" he called as if he couldn't hear her.

"If he had a brain, I'd be worried about damage," Lily told them, "but I think we're fine. Now, Tish, about my shoes…"

* * *

The Doctor had moved the TARDIS back into Martha's flat to say goodbye. The Doctor and Martha were standing in front of her, while Lily stood in the doorway, looking very happy to be back in her jeans, t-shirt, jacket, and sneakers. Martha could see she still had the Firepoint hanging around her neck, but now it was hanging from a black chord.

"Something else that just kind of escalated, then." The Doctor was saying.

"I can see a pattern developing." Martha told him. "You should take more care in the future. And the past, and whatever other time period you find yourselves in."

Lily laughed and nodded.

"It's good fun, though, isn't it?" the Doctor asked her.

"Yeah." Martha agreed.

"So," Lily said slowly. "What d'you say to one more trip?"

Martha shook her head.

"No. Sorry." she told them.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor asked. "I thought you liked it."

"I do," she told him, "but I can't go on like this. 'One more trip'. It's not fair."

"What're you talking about?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"I don't want to be just a passenger anymore." she told him. "Someone you take along for a treat. If that's how you still see me, well, I'd rather stay here."

"Okay, then." the Doctor told her. "If that's what you want."

"Right." Martha agreed. "But we've already said good-bye once today, so it's really best if you just go."

Martha walked away, keeping her back to them, but when she didn't hear anything, she looked back over her shoulder to find the Doctor still standing there, confused, and Lily standing behind him, beaming.

"What is it?" she asked them.

"What?" The Doctor said. "I said okay."

"Sorry?" Martha asked.

"Okay." he said again.

He nodded his head at the TARDIS.

"Oh, thank you!" she said, as Lily came to hug her. "Thank you!"

He hugged her next.

"Well, you were never really just a passenger, were you?" he asked her.

He led her into the TARDIS and Lily closed the door.

As it dematerialized, Martha's phone began to ring.

"Hi, I'm out! Leave a message!" the answering machine picked up.

"Martha, it's your mother. Please, phone me back. I'm begging you. I know who this Doctor really is. I know he's dangerous. You're gonna get yourself killed. Please, trust me. This information comes from Harold Saxon himself. You're not safe!"

A/N: The end of Lazarus Experiment. Whew. So I've found the way to get you guys to review. Ask questions! So my question is, how many of you think Amy is going to be like Rose to the Doctor and how many think she's going to be like Martha? Cause we all know, no one will be like Donna! ;) I personally think they're going to head towards a Rose/Doctor kind of relationship. Let me know in a review!


	45. Free Day

Disclaimer: So I'm told that money can't buy happiness. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but enough of it could by me the rights to Doctor Who. And that would make me very happy. So they're wrong, money can buy happiness, it just takes ridiculous amount of it.

Ch. 45:

"So where do you want to go?" the Doctor asked.

"Free day." Lily told him.

"Lily." he whined.

She shook her head.

"No, Doctor." she told him. "Martha needs to get familiarized with the TARDIS. I need sleep. And there is plenty to keep you amused for one day." She smirked at him. "If it'll make you feel better, the TARDIS can blow some fuses for you to fix."

"Doctor, I wouldn't mind getting some sleep." Martha told him.

"Fine." the Doctor huffed. "One Earth Day. Twenty four hours. That's all you get."

"Thank you." Lily said, kissing his cheek. "Come on." she said, linking her arm with Martha's. "Lets see if we can't rustle up something to eat."

They made their way to the kitchen and Lily started going through the cabinets.

"No way." The Doctor said, coming up behind her and taking the ingredients out of her hands. "The last time you tried to cook in here, you destroyed half the room."

"How was I to know that sugar would make that spice explode?" she asked sullenly, letting him take the things away and going to sit next Martha at the table.

"What do you want?" he asked them.

Lily shared a look with Martha.

"Believe it or not, he makes really good spaghetti." Lily told the other woman.

"That sounds great." Martha agreed.

A little while later, they were all sitting around the table, eating and laughing.

"And then Ianto 'accidently'" Lily said, using finger quotes, "sprayed him with the special sauce, and Jack and I spent the rest of the night trying to convince the pterodactyl that the Doctor wasn't something she should eat."

Martha laughed while the Doctor huffed.

"I still owe Ianto for that." he said.

"Oh, please." Lily told him. "You totally deserved it. You insulted his coffee. No one insults Ianto's coffee."

"Well," Martha said, standing up. "I'm beat. Is my room…?"

Lily nodded, standing up too.

"Yeah, it's the same." she told her. "And I had the TARDIS move our room right next to your's. If you need anything, just knock and come in." Lily told her. "If I'm not awake, the Doctor will be."

"And my room is…?" she asked, pointing down the hall.

"Yeah." the Doctor told her. "And if you get lost, just ask the TARDIS to help."

"I'll show you around tomorrow." Lily promised.

"Okay, then." Martha said. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

And with that, she left them alone.

"I'm glad you decided to let her come with us." Lily told him, helping him with the dishes.

"Yeah, well," he said, "I knew you wanted her to come."

"Oh, please, you like her too." Lily said, flicking him with some soap.

He stood there in shock.

"You did not just do that." he said.

Lily smirked at him.

"And if I did?" she asked. "What are you gonna do?"

He quickly grabbed her around the waist and started tickling her.

"No, stop!" she gasped. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

He stopped tickling her, but kept his arms around her and she leaned her head against his chest.

"Oh!" she said, reaching up to her neck and unclasped the Firepoint. "I almost forgot to give this back."

As she removed it, the black chord turned back into a silver chain. She tried to hand it to him, but he wouldn't take it.

"Didn't you read the note with it?" he asked her.

She looked up at him, confused.

"All it said was 'for you'." she said. "Which reminds me, how did you know I read Gallifreyan?" she asked him.

"You may not realize it, but you think in it." he told her. "Your brain is hard wired for it, even if you were turned into a human. Gallifrey is always a part of you, no matter what." He smiled at her. "And the note meant that the necklace was yours. Permanently."

"I can't." she gasped. "This is a Gallifreyan treasure. It should stay with you."

"One Gallifreyan treasure deserves another." he told her. "Plus what am I going to do with it?" He shook his head. "No, it's yours. Forever."

She looked down at the stone in her hand and nodded, putting it back on, where the chain morphed back into a black chord.

"Thank you." she told him softly.

"Now I have a question for you." he told her. "Why did you lie about what the inscription says on the back?"

Lily shrugged.

"I just thought, Martha already finds our relationship confusing as it is, why confuse her more?" she replied.

"But you know what it really says?" he asked her.

She looked down.

"Beautiful Beloved." she said. "It was meant for someone's mate, wasn't it?"

"It was my family's." he said. "The head of the family always gave it to his mate. But since we're bonded, and I doubt I'll ever find another person to fulfill the role of mate, seeing as we're the only two Time Lords, I figured you might like it."

He said this very fast.

Lily chuckled and kissed his cheek again.

"Thank you." she told him. She sighed and moved to the door.

"I'm gonna go to bed." she told him.

"I'll be there in a minute." he told her. "Try not to destroy anything before then."

She stuck her tongue out at him and left.

He took a deep breath and silently asked the TARDIS to move one room to a nearby corridor. When he was sure Lily was in their room, he walked out of the kitchen and to the room. He opened the soft pink door with a rose engraved in it.

"Hello Rose." he said softly to the empty room.

He moved around it slowly, stopping to look at some of the pictures. There were some of Jackie, some of Mickey, and quite a few of him, some alone and some with others. There were even a few of Jack and his ninth self.

Everything was just as she had left it when she left. He sat down on the bed and picked up the picture next to it. It was one of him holding her right after he had regerated, while he was celebrating Christmas with her. They were standing underneath mistletoe and he was slightly sad that Jackie had snapped this right before what had happened next. He would have liked to have a reminder of that.

"I miss you so much, Rose." he told the room. "Lily helps, but it still hurts. And I'm afraid, that if I really start to move on…" he felt a tear run down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. "I wish you were here to tell me what I should do."

He noticed a journal sitting nearby. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help picking it up. It looked like she had been flipping through it when she left.

…_joined us today. As much as I wanted to dislike her, she really was nice. And the Doctor was so enamored with her, it broke my heart. Especially right after meeting Sarah Jane. Don't get me wrong, I love Sarah Jane. I just finally realized something though. Maybe loving the Doctor means that sometimes, you have to share him. I also realize that someday, I won't be here, even if it's a long time from now. And when that happens, I would want him to have someone. Someone who would keep him company. Someone who will love him. Anyway, that won't be for awhile, cause I'm not planning on going anywhere._

_Mickey's with us now, which is more than just a little awkward. What was the Doctor thinking?!…_

The Doctor set the journal down.

"Things don't always work out the way we think they will, do they?" he asked the silence. "But thank you. For everything."

With that, he closed the door and walked back to where he now belonged.

* * *

The next morning, Lily crawled into the kitchen to find the Doctor and Martha already there and dressed.

"Are you still in your pajamas?" Martha asked her with a smile.

Lily looked down at her tank top and tie pants, which looked a little funny with the jewel that still hung around her neck, and back up at Martha.

"I have no idea what you mean." she told her, pouring a cup of the coffee the Doctor had made for her. "This is my opera wear."

Martha laughed.

"No," Lily continued. "I have a rule. No real clothes on Free Days." she told her. "Which reminds me," she held out her hand to the Doctor. "jacket, now."

"Lily." he complained.

"Nope, you know the rules." she told him with a smirk.

He grumbled under his breath but took off his blue suit jacket and handed it to her, which she hung on a hook by the door.

"Where do you get off making rules in my TARDIS?" he asked her.

She smiled at him.

"She likes me better." she replied.

"Oh right." he said, shaking his head.

"So," Lily said, turning to Martha, "ready for your tour?"

Martha sighed.

"As I ever will be." she replied.

Lily filled up her cup.

"Well, lets get this show on the road." she said, leading the way out.

Lily spent the next few hours showing Martha the best parts of the TARDIS. She showed her the library, the swimming pool, the music room, the garden, the movie room, and the wardrobe. They spent at least an hour there, just looking.

"With this here, you wouldn't ever have to go shopping again." Martha pointed out.

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Lily asked her.

Martha laughed and Lily led her out again.

They ended the tour in the control room, where the Doctor was fixing something.

"So, now that you've seen some of it, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Lily asked.

"I don't know." Martha said, sounding kind of stunned. "What are you going to do?"

"I was going to go mess around in the music room for awhile." Lily told her. "The TARDIS and I are having an argument about how the music should be organized. I say it should be alphabetical order by composer and then in alphabetical order by title within that. She says it should be chronological by publication date period." she shook her head. "I'm about ready to compromise with alphabetical order by composer, but chronologically within that."

Martha stared at her.

"Amazing, isn't it?" The Doctor said, standing behind her. "The things she chooses to get really into?"

Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

"And then I thought I'd watch some Supernatural episodes." Lily continued. "I was up to the third season when I came here. I just hope the episodes are the same in this universe as they were in mine."

"What's Supernatural?" Martha asked.

"An American horror show." Lily replied.

"Well, I think I'll skip the music room, but I'll join you for that, if you don't care?" Martha said.

Lily shook her head.

"Nah, that's fine." she told her. "I should only be a little while in the music room, so I'll come get you when I'm done?"

"Deal." Martha said with a smile. "I'll just hang out here with the Doctor till then."

"Okay." Lily told her. "If anything starts to smoke, just get out. The TARDIS has a pretty good fire suppression system so it should just be a moment."

"Is that likely to happen?" Martha asked the Doctor as Lily left.

"No." he told her.

"Yes!" Lily shouted back.

Martha laughed and sat down to watch the Doctor work.

They only had to leave once, which Lily informed her was some kind of record. And then they spent the rest of the day watching TV, which consisted of Martha watching the Doctor make snide comments and Lily hitting him every time he did.

Soon they were having dinner and saying good night again.

They next morning found them in the control room after breakfast.

"So where are we going?" Martha asked.

The Doctor smiled.

"Where every we want." he replied.

He threw a switch and they were off.

A/N: So, I hope you liked it. I had to throw the thing about Supernatural in because, next to Doctor Who, that's my favorite show at the moment. Ok, this chapter's question: Favorite Rose/Doctor (you can give one for nine and one for ten if you want) moment. Nine: In the locked room, talking about "dancing". Ten: As sad a moment as it is, the scene in School Reunion when he tells her why they can't ever really have a future together. It's so sad and it shows you just how much they care about each other because you don't talk about that sort of thing unless you really want it to be a possibility. So review and tell me your's!

Abbey


	46. 42: 42 to 34:31

Disclaimer: I have no claim to Doctor Who. But I will kill for it.

Ch. 46:

"There we go." Lily said, handing Martha's phone back to her and shoving the sonic screwdriver into her back pocket. "Universal Roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again."

The Doctor walked up to her and grabbed the screwdriver before walking back to the console and pushing buttons.

"No way!" Martha said, examining the phone. "But it's…too mad! You're telling me I can call anyone, anywhere in Space and Time on my mobile?!"

"Long as you know the area code." The Doctor told her with a smile. "Frequent Fliers' privilege. Go on. Try it."

Martha smiled and began typing in a number when the TARDIS jolted and the three of them were thrown to the ground.

"Ow." Lily said. "What did you do?"

The Doctor pulled her up and gave her a nasty look before going to the monitor.

"Distress signal!" he told them. "Locking on!"

He went to push a button with his foot but Lily got there first.

"Might be a bit of…" A violent shake sent them flying again. Then everything was still. Lily crawled to the Doctor and helped him up as Martha pulled herself up. "…turbulence." The Doctor finished. "Sorry." He ran to the door while Lily and Martha helped each other up, looking annoyed. "Come on, you two!" he called "Let's take a look!"

Lily walked up to him and punched him in the arm before walking out of the TARDIS, Martha following after her.

"Holy crap." Lily said, fanning herself. "Are you sure you didn't land on a star?"

"It's like a sauna in here!" Martha said, taking off her jacket.

"Venting systems, working at full pelt." The Doctor said, looking at a piece of equipment. "Trying to cool down…uh, wherever it is we are." He clapped his hands together. "Well! If you can't stand the heat…" he walked to a heavy duty door and opened it. He walked through it. "Well, that's better…"

"Doctor!" Lily interrupted, pointing.

Three people, two men and a woman, came running towards them from the opposite direction.

"Oi! You three!" one of the men called.

"Get out of there!" the woman shouted.

"Seal that the door!" the man added. "Now!"

The Doctor stepped out of the way, pulling Lily with him as the two men sealed the door right after Martha walked out.

"Who are you?" the woman demanded. "What are you doing on my ship?"

"Are you police?" the man asked.

"Why would we be the police?" The Doctor asked.

"We got your distress signal." Martha told them.

"If this is a ship," Lily asked, looking around, "why can't I hear any engines?"

"It went dead four minutes ago." the woman told her.

"So maybe we should stop chatting and get to engineering, Captain." the other man, who had been silent till now, added.

"Secure closure active." a computerized voice announced followed by a loud clang.

"What?!" the woman yelled, looking behind her.

"The ship's gone mad." the second man said.

They saw another woman running down the corridor, doors slamming shut just behind her as she went.

"Who activated secure closure?" she yelled. "I nearly got locked into area Twenty-Seven." The last door closed, locking them in. "Who are you?" she asked spotting the travelers.

The Doctor went to answer, but Martha cut him off.

"He's the Doctor, she's Lily, and I'm Martha." she told them, distracted. "Hello."

She walked forward, Lily following behind her.

"Martha?" she asked the seemingly possessed woman.

"Impact projection: Forty-two minutes." the computer announced.

Martha headed to a small window which seemed to have a golden light shining through it.

"We'll get out of this." the first woman told them. "I promise."

"Doctor…" Martha called shakily.

"Forty-two minutes 'til what?" he asked.

"Doctor!" Lily called over her shoulder, standing next to Martha as the other woman pressed her face up against the window. "Look." she told him.

The Doctor ran to her and looked out the window. Outside, much closer than it should be, was a star. And they were getting closer.

"Forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun." the woman told them.

"Huh." Lily

* * *

The Doctor ran back to the woman, grabbing her arm.

"How many crew members on board?" he demanded, sounding slightly panicked.

"Seven, including us." she told him.

"We transport cargo across the galaxy." the second man added. "Everything's automated. We just keep the ship…"

"Call the others," the Doctor interrupted, running back to the door, "I'll get you out!"

He went to open the door and the crew members rushed to stop him.

"What's he doing?!" the first man yelled.

"No!" the woman shouted. "Don't!"

But it was too late. The Doctor opened the door and was blown back by the shear force of the heat.

"DOCTOR!" Lily screamed. A second later, the heat was gone, contained behind a gold wall, and the door swung shut and Lily was at the Doctor's side.

"Look at me." she ordered while the crew members stared at her. She gently took the Doctor's face between her hands and checked him for damage.

"Lily, I'm fine." he told her, taking one of her hands gently in one of his.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

He nodded and stood staring at the door.

"But my ship's in there!" he told the others, his hand still grasping Lily's tightly.

"In the vent chamber?" the first man asked him.

The second female crew member began checking some gauges nearby.

"It's our lifeboat!" the Doctor told them.

"It's lava." the second man replied.

"The temperature's going mad in there!" the second woman added. "Up 3000 degrees in ten seconds and still rising."

Lily could feel the Doctor panicking about the TARDIS and reached up to make him look at her again.

"She's fine." she told him aloud to also assure Martha. "I can feel her just fine. She's a little cross about the heat, but otherwise, she's fine. We just can't get to her."

"We're stuck here." Martha said.

"So?" the Doctor said, calmer now. "We fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun! Simple! Engineering down here, is it?" He took off without waiting for an answer.

"Impact in 40.26" the computer told them.

* * *

The Doctor ran down a set of stairs, followed closely by the others. He suddenly stopped, a bemused look on his face.

"Blimey!" he said, looking around "Do you always leave things in such a mess?"

"Oh my god." the first women said, walking around him.

"What the hell happened?" the second man asked.

In front of them was what seem to be the remains of the engine. It was completely destroyed.

"Oh, it's wrecked." the first guy moaned.

"Pretty efficiently too." Lily said, surveying the damage. "Someone knew what they were doing."

The Doctor wandered over to a computer terminal, Lily following after a second.

"Where's Korwin?" the first woman, who was obviously the one in charge, asked. "Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?"

"No." the second man answered.

"You mean someone did this on purpose?" Martha asked.

The captain ran to the intercom system.

"Korwin?" she called. "Ashton? Where are you?" She got no response. "Korwin, can you answer?" When she got no answer again, she gave up. "Where the hell is he?" she asked. "He should be up here!"

The Doctor in the mean time, put on his specs and had been scanning to find out where they were.

"Oh!" he said happily when the information came up on the screen. "We're in th Torajji System! Lovely!"

"They have really good food." Lily agreed.

"You're a long way from home, Martha." he called over his shoulder. "Half a universe away."

"Yeah." Martha replied sarcastically. "Feels like it."

"And you're still using energy scoops for fusion?" the Doctor asked the captain. "Hasn't that been outlawed yet?"

The crew looked at each other guiltily.

"We're due to upgrade next docking." the captain told him. She walked away from him. "Scannell, engine report."

The second man, Scannell, walked over to the computer terminal the Doctor had been. He ran a scan while everyone waited anxiously. The machine beeped several times.

"No response." Scannell told them, running back to the engine.

"What?" the captain asked, disbelieving.

"They're burnt out." he told her. "The controls are wreaked. I can't get them back online."

The Doctor took off his glasses.

"Oh come on!" he said. "Auxiliary engines! Every craft's got auxiliaries!"

"We don't have access from here." the captain told him. "The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship."

"Yeah," Scannell added, "with twenty-nine password sealed doors between us and them. You'll never get there in time."

"Lily?" The Doctor asked, turning to her.

She shook her head.

"I need something to draw me." she told him. "Someone like you, or Jack or another Vortex powered being. I can't just hop where ever I want."

"Can't you just override the doors?" Martha asked them.

"No." Scannell told her. "Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed."

"Well there goes the sonic screwdriver." Lily said.

"Nothing's any use." Scannell replied. "We've got no engines, no time, and no chance."

"Oh, listen to you!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Defeated before you've even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit?" He turned to the captain. "Who's got the door passwords?" he asked.

"They're randomly generated." the first man answered. "Reckon I know most of 'em. Sorry. Riley Vashti." he said, introducing himself.

"Then what are you waiting for Riley Vashti?" the Doctor asked, taking control. "Get on it."

"Well, it's a two person job." Riley told him. He went and got a large magnetic clamp and a huge backpack. "One, it takes to answer the questions, and the other to carry this." He put the backpack on. "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh captain?"

"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh Riley?" she shot back.

"Try and be helpful, get abuse." he said. "Nice!"

Martha walked over to him and took the clamp.

"I'll help you." she told him. "Make myself useful."

"It's remotely controlled by computer panel." he told her. "That's why it needs two."

Riley turned and headed out, Martha moving to follow.

"Oi." the Doctor called, making her stop. "Be careful." he told her seriously.

She smiled.

"You too." she said before turning and following Riley.

"Don't get distracted!" Lily called after her, but she just kept walking.

Lily turned to find the Doctor staring at her.

"What?" she asked. "He's cute."

She smiled when the Doctor frowned slightly.

"You're cute too." she told him.

She laughed when he tried not to show his smile.

"McDonnell?" a male voice called over the intercom. "It's Ashton."

The captain, McDonnell, ran to the intercom.

"Where are you?" she asked. "Is Korwin with you?"

"Get up to the med-center now!" he told her.

She left the intercom and ran out of the room, the Doctor and Lily running after her. They ran right pass Martha and Riley, who were setting up out side the first door.

"Impact in 34.31." the computer informed them.

A/N: First chapter of 42 down.  
Chapter question: What was your favorite Doctor/Martha moment?  
Answer: When she interrupts him during the video message to Sally Sparrow. I just love that she would get that annoyed with him.  
Tell me yours in a review. DO IT! Was that too forceful? How 'bout: Please, I'm begging you. I won't know what to do it you don't review. Too needy? Whatever, look, seven more reviews and we're at one hundred. I can feel it. This is the chapter. Help my dream come true. Review.  
Also, after watching the newest DW, I have a theory for you all. Feel free to tell me I'm insane. When DT was leaving, some of the people in contention for the role were women. River Song knows everything about him, including his name. River Song=Future Doctor? Believe me, considering this even is making me slightly ill, but it's better than wife, right? Let me know what you think. Phyllis, I know what you think. Don't review

Abbey


	47. 42: 34:50 to 29:46

Disclaimer: I will relinquish my claim on the Doctor if they agree to drop River Song off a cliff and leave her there.

Ch. 47:

"Argh!" the man on the bed shouted. "Stop it!"

"Korwin!" the woman yelled, struggling to restrain him. "It's Abi! Open your eyes, I need to look at you!"

The Doctor and Lily followed McDonnell into the med center.

"Korwin!" MacDonnell shouted. "What's happened? Is he okay?"

The Doctor ran to the end of the bed while Korwin continued thrashing.

"Oh God!" he yelled. "Help me! It's burning me!"

"How long's he been like this?" the Doctor asked quickly.

"Ashton just brought him in." Abi told him.

The Doctor got out his Sonic Screwdriver and began scaning Korwin, causing McDonnell to panic.

"What are you doing?" she yelled at him.

"He's trying to help." Lily replied, trying to calm the woman.

"Leave him alone, he's my husband!" she demanded.

"And he's just sabotaged our ship!" the other man, who Lily assumed was Ashton, told them.

"What?" McDonnell demanded, turning to him.

"He went mad." he told her. "He set the ship to secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls."

"No way!" McDonnell protested. "He wouldn't do that!"

"I saw it happen, Captain." he replied.

"Korwin?" the Doctor called. "Korwin, open your eyes for me a second."

"I can't!" Korwin shouted through the pain.

"Yeah, course you can." the Doctor told him. "Go on."

"Don't make me look at you!" Korwin begged. "Please!"

The Doctor held out his hand and Lily put a gun from a nearby tray in it.

"Alright, alright, alright." he told him. "Just relax." He held the gun up to Abi. "Sedative?" he asked.

"Yes." she answered.

He quickly pressed the gun to Korwin's neck and administered the sedative. Korwin gave one final shout before passing out. The Doctor handed the gun back to Lily and she put it back on the tray.

"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings…" he said, more to himself than anyone else. Lily moved to rest her hand on the other man's forehead and closed her eyes.

"Stasis chamber?" the Doctor asked, pointing to the chamber surrounding the bed. "I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature."

Abi looked at him questioningly, but did as he said.

"And, just for fun, run a bio-scan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail." he added.

_Doctor. _Lily called, opening her eyes. _There's something else inside him._

He gave her a questioning look.

_What do you mean?_ he asked.

_I don't know._ she told him._ It just feels like there's something else in him._

"Just doing them now." Abi was telling him when he returned his attention to her.

"Oh, you're good." he told her with a smile. "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?" he asked.

"Not so far." she told him.

"Well, that's something." Lily said, moving to join him on the other side of the bed.

"Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?" McDonnell demanded, taking Lily's place.

"Some sort of infection." the Doctor told her. "We'll know more after the test results. Now," he motioned to the door, "Allons-y! Back downstairs. Ay! See about those engines! Go."

Ashton made to leave, but McDonnell stayed put.

"There's nothing you can do here." Lily told her softly. "Trust me." She gently pulled her away and out the door.

"Call us if there's news!" the Doctor ordered Abi as he too made for the door. "Any questions?"

"Yeah." Abi called. "Who are you?"

The Doctor stuck his head back through the doorway.

"I'm the Doctor!"

He ran after Lily and the others, leaving Abi alone with Korwin.

"Heat shields failing." the computer told them. "At twenty-five percent. Impact in 32:50."

* * *

Martha and Riley were still at the first locked door. Riley was typing something on a keypad while Martha stood there, looking bored.

"Hurry up, will you?" she told him.

"Alright." he replied, finishing up typing. "Fix the clamp on!"

Martha lifted the clamp and attached it firmly to the door and held it there. She turned back to find Riley typing again.

"What are you typing?" she asked.

"Each door's trip code is the answer to a random question set by the crew." he told her. "Nine tours back, we got drunk, thought 'em up. Reckoning was, if we're hijacked, we're the only ones who know all the answers."

"So you type in the right answers…" Martha said.

"This," he replied, taping the backpack, "sends an unlock pulse to the clamp. But we only get one chance per door." he warned. "Get it wrong, the whole system freezes."

"Better not get it wrong then." Martha told him.

"Ok." he said, sounding excited. "Date of SS Pentallian's first flight? That's alright!" He quickly typed in an answer. "Go!" he yelled to Martha.

Martha pressed the trigger on the clamp and it beeped a few times before the light turned green and the door opened.

"Yes!" she yelled.

"Only twenty-eight more to go!" Riley called, running to the door.

Martha followed him and they made their way to the next door.

* * *

Back in the engine room, the Doctor was talking on the intercom with a very confused Abi.

"How is Korwin doing?" he asked her. "Any results from the bio-scan?"

"He's under heavy sedation." Abi replied. "I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know."

"Martha?" the Doctor called next. "Riley? How're you doing?"

"Area twenty-nine," she told him, "at the door to twenty-eight."

"You've gotta move faster!" the Doctor told her, putting on his glasses.

"We're doing our best!" Martha called back.

"Find the next number in the sequence:" Riley read aloud, "313, 331, 367...what?"

"You said the crew knew all the answers." Martha told him.

"The crew's changed since we set the questions." he replied.

"You're joking…" Martha moaned.

"379!" the Doctor called through the intercom, having listen to the whole conversation.

"What?" Martha called back.

"It's a sequence of happy primes." he told her. "379."

"Happy what?" Martha asked.

"Just enter it!" he shouted.

"Are you sure?" Riley asked. "We only get one chance."

"Any number which reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits and you continue iterating until it yields one is a happy number." he told them, slightly annoyed and at a very fast pace. "Any number that doesn't, isn't. A happy prime is a number which is both happy and prime, now type it in!"

He looked at McDonnell, who was giving him a strange look as she climbed down a nearby ladder.

"I dunno, talk about dumbing down!" he told her. "Don't they teach recreational mathematics any more?"

"They've never taught recreational math on Earth." Lily told him as she passed.

"Well, why not?" he called after her.

She turned and walked backwards as she answered him.

"Cause only freaks like you and me enjoy them." she told him before turning back around.

"I'm not a freak!" he called after him.

She just waved her hand at him.

"We're through!" Martha called.

"Keep moving." The Doctor told her. "Fast as you can." He slips off his glasses. "And, Martha, be careful." he told her. "There may be something else on board this ship."

"Any time you wanna unnerve me," she replied, "feel free!"

"Will do, thanks." he called back brightly before switching the comm. off. He walked back to join Lily where she was trying to piece some of the wiring back together.

_What did you mean there was something in him?_ he asked her, standing close at her side.

She didn't look up to answer him.

_I don't know. _she told him. _All I know is it didn't feel human. And it was old._ She finally looked up at him and he could see fear in her eyes. _Older than you. Old like the vortex._

_What is that old?_ he mused.

_I don't know._ she replied. _But it's not happy. In fact, I'd say it was pissed. We need to get to the TARDIS and then get the hell out of here._

He nodded and squeezed her shoulder gently before walking away.

"Impact in 30:50." the computer announced.

* * *

Martha and Riley were close to opening the next door.

"I can't believe our lives depend on some stupid pub quiz!" Martha exclaimed, exasperated. "Is that the next one?"

Riley put his head in his hands.

"Oh this is a nightmare!" he said. "Classical music." he read. "Who had the most pre-download number ones: Elvis Presley or the Beatles?" He mangled both names. "How are we supposed to know that?"

"I've got an idea about who might know." she told him.

* * *

Back in the engine room, Lily had given up on her wires and was watching with the rest of the crew as the Doctor examined a broken piece of equipment.

"We need a backup, Doctor." Lily finally said.

"I know." he told her. "We're gonna need it if they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time." He started pacing. "Come on! Think! Resources, what have we got?"

"Doctor?" Martha's voice came through the intercom.

"What is it now?" he asked, shortly.

"Actually," she called, "I'm looking for Lily."

"What is it, Martha?" Lily asked, walking over to the intercom.

"Who had the most number ones, Elvis or the Beatles?" she asked the resident musician. "That's pre-download."

"American charts, British charts, or Worldwide?" Lily asked her.

"Uh, it doesn't say." Martha told her.

"Well lets assume that it means overall, worldwide, cause The Beatles had more number ones in the UK and Elvis had more in the US." She grimaced. "I'm not sure who had more overall. Look, not to seem rude, but we're kinda busy up here." She got a look of inspiration. "Have you got your cell?" she asked.

"Yeah." Martha replied.

"Call Tish or someone back home with internet." Lily told her. "But make it quick. You guys have really got to get moving."

"Ok." Martha told her and Lily shut of the comm.

"Now, where was I?" the Doctor asked. "Here comes the sun. No, resources. So, the power's still working, the generator's going. If we can harness that…ah!" he shouted.

"Use the generator to jump-start the ship." McDonnell agreed.

"Exactly!" the Doctor told her. "At the very least, it'll buy us some more time."

"That…is brilliant." she told him.

"He usually is." Lily said, smiling brightly at him.

"I know!" he agreed and her smile turned into a smirk.

"And oh so humble." she said sarcastically.

"Nope, you're not taking this from me." he told her, shaking his finger at her. "We've got a tiny glimmer of hope."

"If it works." Scannell added.

"See?" Lily said, pointing. "I'm not going to take your hope. He is."

"Oh, believe me." McDonnell told him. "You're gonna make it work."

Scannell walked off, looking slightly dejected while the others looked at McDonnell with new found respect.

"That told him!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Impact in 29:46." the computer told them, making Lily glare at it.

"If anything's killing my buzz," she said, "it's that thing."

She shook her head and made her way over to the Doctor to help get things ready.

A/N: Ok, you guys were a severe disappointment. In fact, I'm blaming you all for the cold I now have. Anyway, lets try to get to a hundred on this chapter, shall we? Just a hundred. That's all I'm asking for.

Chapter question: We've had Rose and Martha, so next up is Donna. Tell me your favorite moment with Donna and the Doctor.  
My answer: I really like the moment with Jenny in the Doctor's Daughter when she takes the stethoscope from him and proves that Jenny is a Time Lord too. It's just such a great moment because it's that thing that people do when their best friend just refuses to see what's right in front of them. I love Donna and the Doctor!

Abbey


	48. 42: 29:45 to 17:05

Disclaimer: I own everything. I own you. And you. Yes that means I own you too, David. Oh, and you too Matt. Steven, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're going to have to die. 'Why?' you ask? Well for starters, two words. River Song. I don't think you want me continue, do you?

Ch. 48:

Back on Earth in 2007, Francine's cell phone was ringing. She picked it up to see Martha's name.

"Hello?" she said.

"Mum?" Martha, who was still on the ship, said in wonder. "It's me, it's Martha. Wow!"

"Where are you?" Francine demanded angrily. "Don't you check your messages? I've been calling you."

"Actually, bit busy." Martha told her. "Need you to do something for me."

"No." Francine replied. "Listen to me. We have to talk about this Doctor."

"Mum!" Martha begged. "Please not now! I need you to look something up on the internet!"

"Do it yourself." she told her. "You've got a computer."

"Oh just do it will you!" Martha shouted into the phone.

Both she and Riley sat there in shock for a moment. She gave a small chuckle.

"Please." she added.

"When did you get so rude?" Francine asked her, waking to the computer. "I tell you when. Ever since you met that man and that…woman."

"I need to know who had more number ones;" she told her mother, ignoring the dig at the Doctor and Lily, "the Beatles or Elvis?"

"Hang on." Francine told her. "The mouse is unplugged."

Martha just managed to stifle a scream of frustration.

"Ok, I'm on." her mom told her. "What is this? Pub quiz?"

"Yeah, a pup quiz." Martha agreed.

"Using your mobile is cheating." Francine told her.

"Have you found it?" Martha practically shouted.

"There's over four hundred thousand results." she told her. "Give me a minute."

"Impact in 28:50." announced their computer friend.

* * *

"Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me." Abi's voice came over the intercom.

"What d'you mean?" he asked her.

"Well," she told the Doctor and crew, who were now listening intently, "Korwin's body's changing! His whole biological make-up, it…it's impossible!"

They heard a bang come over the comm.

"This is med-center!" Abi suddenly shouted. "Urgent assistance requested. Urgent assistance!"

The Doctor took off, Lily on his heels.

"Stay here!" he yelled to the others. "Keep working!"

McDonnell ignored him and ran after them. Ashton and Scannell both stayed put and Erina ran in the other direction.

"Urgent assistance!" Abi yelled again.

"Abi, they're on their way!" Erina assured her when she reached the comm. station.

"What's happening to you?" they all heard Abi ask.

Suddenly a new, deep voice came over the intercom.

"Burn with me." it said. "Burn with me."

Suddenly the Doctor slowed and Lily had to back track. He turned and they found that Scannell had followed them.

"Captain?" he asked as he joined them.

"I told you to stay in engineering!" the Doctor told him.

"I only take orders from one person round here." Scannell told him with a glare.

The Doctor looked shocked.

"Oh, is he always this cheery?" the Doctor asked.

* * *

Back on Earth, circa 2007, Francine had finally come up with an answer.

"Elvis." she said into the phone.

"What?" Martha asked, forgetting for a moment what she had asked her mother. "Really?" She pointed Riley to the computer. "Elvis." she told him.

The door opened and Martha and Riley ran through it.

"Mum, you're a star!" she said into the phone.

"Now, we need to have a serious…" Francine started, but stopped when they all heard a scream over the intercom.

"What was that?" she asked her daughter.

"I've gotta go." Martha said shakily before hanging up.

Riley and Martha ran to the nearest comm station.

"Doctor, what were those screams?" Martha called.

"Concentrate on those doors!" The Doctor yelled as they were once again running for the med-center. "You've gotta keep moving forward!"

The do so as Martha attached the clamp to the next door.

"Impact in 27:06."

* * *

The Doctor, Lily, and McDonnell burst into the med-center to find Scannell already there, looking around. The bed where Korwin had been was now empty.

"Korwin's gone…" McDonnell pointed out shakily.

"Oh my god…" Scannell said, staring at a patch of wall behind them.

They turned to see a charred, black shape on the wall. The shape of a human with one hand in the air.

"Tell me that's not Lerner." Scannell said.

"Endothermic vaporisation." The Doctor said, running a finger along the shape. "I've never seen one this ferocious." He looked into the distance. "Burn with me."

"That's what we heard Korwin say." Scannell said.

"What?" McDonnell sputtered, shocked. "D'you think…no way!" she protested. "Scannell, tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporise people! He's human!"

"She right, Doctor." Lily spoke up. She was looking at the shape closely. "A normal human couldn't do this. I probably could." she said with a shrug, ignoring the strange looks the other two were giving her. "But why bother when I can divide your atomic structure much more easily."

The Doctor went and picked up the scans Abi had run and looked at them.

"His bios scan results…" he said. "Internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen!" He turned to McDonnell. "Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed!"

"Let me see those." Lily said, and the Doctor handed them over, but McDonnell snatched them away.

"The test results are wrong!" she told them, but the Doctor and Lily ignored her.

"Doctor, my body went through similar changes when it connected to the vortex." she told him. "Something is changing him to use him as a vessel. And it's making the vortex seem cuddly."

"But what is it though?" he asked. "Parasite? Mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body. But how did it get inside him?"

"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment!" McDonnell yelled, slightly hysterical.

"Where's this ship been?" the Doctor asked her. "Have you made planet fall recently?"

McDonnell looked at him blankly.

"What about other vessels?" Lily asked her. "Any thing outside this environment?"

"What is this?" McDonnell demanded. "An interrogation?"

"We've got to stop him before he kills again." the Doctor told her.

"We're just…a cargo ship." she told him.

She turned away, looking distraught and Scannell tried to comfort her.

"Doctor," he said, "if you give her a minute…"

"I'm fine." McDonnell said, turning back to them. "I need to warn the crew."

The Doctor and Lily continued looking at the scans, pointing things out as they conversed silently, while McDonnell made her way over to the intercom.

"Everybody, listen to me!" she called. "Something's infected Korwin. We think…" she paused and the Doctor gave her a look. "He killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"

* * *

Outside engineering, Erina was searching through a storage cupboard for parts. She heard Ashton answer McDonnell over the intercom.

"Understood Captain." he said. He pressed a button and changed the channel. "Erina?" he called. "Get back here with that equipment."

Looking annoyed, Erina grabbed the intercom controls and pressed mute.

"Whatever you say, boss." she muttered. "Go there. Come back. Fetch this. Carry these. Make drinks. Sweep up!" she shook her head. "Please, kill me now."

She got what she needed and shut the door to reveal Korwin, wearing a space helmet. When she saw him, she began backing away, terrified.

"Burn with me." he told her in the same strange voice from earlier. "Burn with me."

She was now up against a wall with nowhere to go. He opened the visor and Erina screamed as she was engulfed in a bright light.

"Impact in 24:51."

* * *

The Doctor and Lily were still pouring over the scans while McDonnell sat and Scannell stood close by.

_See here._ Lily said, pointing._ It's changed his molecular structure just like the vortex did to me. But the vortex wanted someone who could exist with it. A vessel for it's power, but a separate entity. This thing just wants a host. Maybe if we'd caught it earlier…_ she trailed off.

_His body can't be sustained without it anymore._ the Doctor agreed sadly.

"Is the infection permanent?" McDonnell suddenly asked, as if she knew what they were saying. "Can you cure him?"

"I dunno." the Doctor told her.

"Don't lie to me, Doctor." McDonnell immediately shot back. "Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest. So I don't want false hope." she told him.

The Doctor opened his mouth, but Lily shook her head and he closed it. Lily, instead, went and sat next to McDonnell.

"I'm sorry, but no." she told her. "There's no way back. The infection is just too aggressive."

"But he could be okay." McDonnell protested. "You said earlier that something similar happened to you, and you're okay, so why can't he be?"

Lily shook her head.

"What happened to me changed me, yes, but it left me me." she told her. "The thing in your husband's body isn't your husband anymore. All that's left is the shell. I'm sorry, I really am, but your husband is gone."

McDonnell was silent for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you." she told them quietly.

Suddenly the Doctor seemed to spring back to life.

"Are you…" he began, "certain nothing happened to provoke this?" he asked her. "Nobody's working on anything secret, 'cause it's vital that you tell me."

"I know every inch of this ship." McDonnell told him. "I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing."

The Doctor and Lily exchanged a look.

"There why is this thing so interested in you?" Lily asked her.

"I wish I knew." she replied, shaking her head.

* * *

Riley and Martha were now at the door to area 17. The door opened and they rushed through to the next door. They're pros at this now as Martha ran to the door and automatically set up the clamp.

"Doctor, we're through to area 17." she called over the intercom.

"Keep going." he told her. "You've got to get to area one and reboot those engines."

"Heat shield failing." the computer told them. "At twenty percent."

"OH WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!" Martha heard Lily yell over the intercom.

"Um, you might want to tell Lily that destroying the ship is counter productive." She called to the Doctor.

"At this point I'm not so sure of that." the Doctor replied. "Just keep working."

Riley, who was having trouble getting the latest computer terminal to work, slapped the side.

"Come on!" he yelled. Catching Martha's look, he glared at it. "Everything on this ship is so cheap!" he told her.

They turned as they heard a loud bang.

"Who's there?" Riley called.

The banging continued, so they set down their tools and went to investigate. As they got closer to the door, the smoke got thicker and they could barely make out a figure.

"Is that Korwin?" Martha asked, trying to hide her fear and failing.

"No, wait a minute." Riley told her. The figure came closer and they saw it was wearing a space helmet, but Riley recognized him.

"Oh, Ashton," he called, "what're you doing?"

"Burn with me." was Ashton's answer. His hand moved up to the visor.

Realizing he'd been possessed, Martha ran to a nearby door.

"Move!" she called. She squeezed through as it opened. "Come on!"

She entered a small room and cowered in the far corner. Riley followed her and punched the key pad to close the door. Once it was fully closed, they both heaved a sigh of relief. They jumped as Ashton began pounding on the door. Riley ran to the other door and opened it. It was an escape pod. They climbed inside and shut that door.

"What is happening on this ship?" Riley demanded.

"Never mind that." Martha told him. "Where are we?"

Before Riley could answer, the hated computer gave them another problem to worry about.

"Airlock sealed." it told them. "Jettison escape pod."

Martha, who still wasn't sure where they were, glared at Riley.

"That doesn't mean us?" she asked. Realizing it did as Riley lunged for the keypad, she started to scream.

"DOCTOR!" she yelled.

"Pod jettison initiated." the computer told them brightly.

Riley was frantically typing on the keypad, while Martha could see Ashton watching them from outside. Spotting a small comm. unit, she tried it.

"Doctor!" she called frantically. "We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock."

The Doctor and Lily stopped running down the corridor they were in.

"One of the crew's trying to jettison us!" Martha continued. "You've got to help us!"

She turned back to Riley.

"Tell me you can stop it." she told him.

Back in engineering, the Doctor was looking at something, while Lily bounced on her heels, ready to follow him, and McDonnell and Scannell watched them.

"Why is this happening?" McDonnell asked.

"Stay here!" the Doctor told them. "I mean it this time!"

He took off, Lily right on his heels.

"Jump start those engines!" he called back to them.

They started to do as he asked when they spotted another charred shape on the wall.

"It's picking us off…" McDonnell said quietly. "One, by one."

* * *

In the escape pod, Riley was still frantically trying to reverse the jettisoning process.

"Jettison held." the computer announced.

Both Riley and Martha sighed with relief.

"Thank you…" Riley muttered.

"Jettison reactivated." the computer announced.

Martha screamed and started pounding on the door while Riley went back to work on the keypad.

"Come on." he muttered. "Geovinsici sequence. This'll get him."

"Jettison held." the computer once again announced. "Escape pod stabilized."

They sighed again.

"You're pretty good." Martha told him quietly.

Ashton began typing again.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily were running full out, trying desperately to get to Martha in time. They finally arrived to find Ashton standing in front of the door, typing.

"That's enough!" the Doctor called, causing Ashton to turn and look at them. "What do you want?" he asked. "Why this ship? Tell me!"

Instead of answering, Ashton turned and put his fist through the key pad.

Inside the pod, a series of sirens began to sound.

"Jettison activated." the computer told the cheerily.

"He's smashed the circuit." Riley said numbly. "I can't stop it." He started to panic. "I can't stop it!"

Out in the corridor, Ashton, Lily, and the Doctor were having a stand off.

"Come on." the Doctor said. "Let's see you."

Ashton advanced on the Doctor until they were almost nose to nose.

"Doctor." Lily warned. "I really don't like this."

"It'll be fine, Lily." he told her.

"Yeah, that's what you always say." she replied. "Usually right before everything seriously goes to hell in a hand basket."

"I wanna know what you really are…" the Doctor told Ashton softly.

Ashton lifted his hand to his visor but suddenly doubled over and backed away.

"Lily!" the Doctor said, but she held up her hands.

"Don't look at me." she told him. "Whatever's happening, it has nothing to do with me."

Suddenly, Ashton stood up again and headed straight towards the Doctor.

"Airlock sealed." the computer told them.

Instead of resuming his attack, Ashton pushed right past them and headed out of area 17.

Lily ran to the comm unit.

"McDonnell!" she called. "Ashton's heading towards you guys. And he's been infected, just like Korwin!"

"Korwin's dead." Scannell's voice came over the intercom.

* * *

Inside the pod, Martha was still banging on the porthole.

"This thing's locked!" she yelled uselessly.

Over the sirens, the computer gave them another cheery bit of news.

"Airlock decompression complete." it told them. "Jettisoning pod."

* * *

The Doctor looked up, realizing Martha was still inside. He ran to the airlock door where he could see Martha. Lily just leaned against the wall and sank to the floor, her head in her hands.

"Doctor!" he saw Martha call, but he couldn't hear her.

"I'll save you!" he told her.

"Martha, it's too late." Riley told her, resignedly.

Martha just ignored him and continued banging on the window.

"Doctor!" she called again.

"I'll save you!" he repeated uselessly.

"I can't hear you!" she shouted.

As the pod disengaged, she could see the Doctor mouth the words 'I'll save you!' over and over again as he got smaller and smaller. The pod slowly moved away into space and towards the sun.

"Doctor." she said quietly.

"Impact in 17:05."

A/N: Ok you guys rock! 103 reviews and counting! I am over the hundred mark! So I'm done begging. It just makes me seem desperate. Review, don't review, nothing bothers me. No, wait, I lied. I'm a review junkie. Just thinking about not getting reviews gave me a panic attack. Please, I just need another hit. Just one. But I can totally stop when ever I want.

Question: Favorite moment involving Jack Harkness.  
My answer: When Mickey is greeting Rose in Boomtown and this exchange happens:  
Jack: Aww, sweet, look at those two. How come I never get any of that?  
Doctor: Buy me a drink first.  
Jack: You're such hard work.  
Doctor: But worth it.  
That scene makes me laugh every single time.

Also, I've been looking for evidence that River and the Doctor kissed, and I can't find it. If you know if they did and where, could you let me know? And I'm not saying my River Theory doesn't have issues, but I know Jack has made comments about wanting to kiss himself, so maybe, if they have kissed, it's a throwback to that? I don't know. I'm just grasping at anything that gets me out of the 'wife' area.

Abbey


	49. 42: 17:04 to 5:00

Disclaimer: Okay, so here's how it's going to go. Give me the Doctor or the sonic screwdriver gets it. Oh ho ho, not so tough now are you? Wait, what is that? Okay, using a Compact Laser Deluxe is just cheating.

Ch. 49:

Lily hadn't moved from her position on the floor and the Doctor was still staring out the window as Martha got further and further away.

"We killed her." Lily said softly. "We promised we'd keep her safe, and we let her die."

"She's not dead yet." The Doctor replied before walking to intercom.

Lily looked up at him suspiciously.

"Why are you blocking me?" she asked him.

He ignored her and hit the button.

"Scannell!" he barked. "I need a spacesuit in area 17, now!"

"What for?" Scannell called back.

"Just get down here!" the Doctor yelled before slamming his hand back down on the button.

"No." Lily growled, getting to her feet.

"Lily, stay out of this." he told her, turning back to the door.

"No!" she yelled, turning him around and slamming him into the door. "I won't let you do this."

"I'm not giving you a choice." he replied.

"Yes you are." she said. "I'll do it."

"No." he said, pushing her away and backing her up to the opposite wall. "If I can't do this, it's up to you to get them out. Whatever it takes."

"You can do that." Lily told him.

"If I can't do this," he told her softly, "then it means I've lost Martha. Even if I'm not around, I won't let you die too. If this kills me, you have to get off. Go back to Jack. Help him and Torchwood save the Earth. Live out your life."

"No." she told him. "I can't do that."

"Lily…"

She shook her head.

"If you die here, so do I." she told him simply.

He didn't say anything else. He just wrapped her in a tight hug, burying his face in her neck.

* * *

Martha and Riley sat in relative calm. They both stared out the window at the thing that was going to kill them.

"The wonderful world of space travel." Riley quipped. "The prettier it looks, the more likely it is to kill you."

"He'll come for us." Martha told him.

He shook his head.

"Nah, it's too late." he told her. "Our heat shields will pack in any minute, then we go into a free fall. We'll fall into the sun way before he has a chance to do anything."

"You don't know the Doctor." Martha told him. "I believe in him. Lily too."

"Then you're lucky." he replied. "I've never found anyone worth believing in."

Martha turned to look at him.

"No girlfriend?" she asked. "Boyfriend?"

"This job doesn't lend itself to stable relationships." he told her.

"Family then?" she amended.

"My dad's dead." he told her. "And I haven't seen my mum in…six years. She didn't want me to sign up for cargo tours." he explained. "Things were said, and since then…all silent. She wanted to hold on to me, I know that. She's so stubborn."

"Yeah, well, that's family." Martha replied, her voice wavering slightly.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Full works." she told him. "Mum, dad. Dad's girlfriend. Brother, sister. No silence there. So much noise. Oh god!" Tears began to fall. "They'll never know! I…I'll just have disappeared. And they always be waiting."

"Call them." Riley told her.

She turned and looked at him, stunned.

* * *

The Doctor was dressed and ready for his space walk.

"I can't let you do this." Scannell told him.

"You're wasting your breath, Scannell." the Doctor told him. "I didn't listen to her," he nodded to Lily, who was standing nearby, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were trying to hold herself together, "you're not gonna stop me." he continued.

"You wanna open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun!" Scannell exclaimed. "No one can survive that!"

"Oh, just you watch." the Doctor told him, exchanging a look with Lily.

"You open that airlock, it's suicide." he shot back. "This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."

"If I can breach the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetize the pod." The Doctor told him. "Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines."

"Doctor, will you listen?!" Scannell shouted. "They're too far away, it's too late!"

"I'm not gonna lose her." the Doctor told him softly.

Lily stopped him as he went to put on his helmet.

"You will come back to me." she told him. "Do you understand me? And you will bring Martha with you."

"I'll do my best." he told her.

"Do better." she replied. "I'll give you as much protection as I can."

He gently wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Remember-" he began, but Lily cut him off.

"Don't you dare try to say goodbye." she told him.

He nodded and swiftly kissed her forehead before putting on the helmet. He walked pass them to the airlock door and opened it.

"Decompression, initiating." the computer told him. "Impact in 12:55."

* * *

Back in 2007, Francine's phone rang again.

"Hello." she said, recognizing Martha's number.

"Me again." Martha said from the pod. "Sorry about earlier."

"Is everything alright?" Francine asked her.

"Yeah." Martha replied. "Course."

"Martha?" her mother asked, not believing her.

"Mum, I…" she took a deep breath. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Course I do." Francine told her. "What's brought this on?"

"I never say it." Martha told her. "Never get the time. I never think of it, and I…" her voice broke. "I really love you. Tell dad, Leo, and Tish that I love them."

Unknown to Martha, Francine wasn't alone. A blonde, unfriendly looking woman was sitting at the table, listening to the conversation through a set of headphones.

"Martha, what's wrong?" Francine asked her.

"Nothing." she replied. "Promise."

"Where are you?" her mom asked her.

"Just out." Martha replied.

"With anyone nice?" Francine asked.

"Some mates." Martha told her.

"What mates?" Francine pushed.

Martha paused for a moment.

"Mum," she asked, "can we just talk?"

"Of course." Francine told her. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I dunno, anything!" Martha said, frustrated. "What you had for breakfast. What you watched on telly last night. How much you're gonna kill Dad next time you see him. Anything."

"Is the Doctor with you?" Francine demanded. "Is he there, now?"

"Mum, just leave it." Martha demanded, tears falling down her cheeks.

"It's a simple enough question." Francine replied.

"I'd better go." Martha told her.

Francine glanced at the woman who was frantically gesturing for her to keep Martha talking.

"Um, no, Martha, wait!" she called.

"See you, mum." was all Martha said before hanging up.

Martha set the phone down and turned to Riley, who wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Impact in 11:15. Heat shield failing. At ten percent."

* * *

The Doctor pressed the keypad and the outer door opened. He recoiled slightly from the heat and brightness, but recovered, grabbing the frame of the door and pulling himself out. He lost his footing one or two times, but finally he got into the right position. He swung his hand out and just missed the buttons next to the air lock.

"Come on!" he growled.

He swung his arm out again and managed to hit the right button. But he still had other things he had to do. He reached for the box to the right of the buttons.

"Doctor!" Scannell's voice came over the comm. "How're you doing?"

"I can't!" the Doctor yelled, reaching. "I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last!"

Suddenly, Scannell's voice was replaced by a slightly out of breath Lily.

"Doctor, I'm working my stunning little ass off in here to keep you safe." she told him. "If you make me come out there, your life will not be worth living, am I understood?"

That startled a laugh out of him.

"Well we would want that, would we?" he called back.

He stretched again and just managed to reach the box and yank the cover off. With a yell of pain, he grabbed the lever inside and managed to pull it down.

* * *

Inside the pod, the screen showed a new word. Remagnetizing.

"We're being pulled back!" Riley shouted.

"I told you!" Martha half laughed, half screamed. "It's the Doctor!"

* * *

The Doctor was slowly making his way back inside as the pod made it's way back. He finally fell in and pulled himself back up to look over the bottom lip of the airlock. His face took on a look of fear as he looked out at the sun.

"It's alive…" he whispered. "It's alive?" He stared at it with realization. "It's alive!"

"Doctor, close the airlock now!" Scannell called to him over the intercom.

"Impact in 8:57." the computer informed them.

* * *

Lily watched as the Doctor removed his helmet within the airlock. He looked like he was in pain.

"Doctor?" she called.

He opened the door and literally fell out of the airlock, Lily just barely catching him.

As Martha and Riley climbed out of the pod, they found the Doctor writhing in pain on the floor, and Lily trying to hold him still.

"Doctor!" Martha shouted, running to them. "Are you ok?" she asked as she crouched next to Lily.

Martha helped Lily flip him onto his back. As they did so, the Doctor opened his eyes. They were glowing.

"Stay away from me!" he yelled.

Martha quickly complied, but Lily stayed put. McDonnell appeared from around the corner.

"What's happened?" she demanded.

"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" the Doctor shouted at her while Lily was still trying to hold his face steady with her hands.

McDonnell looked shocked but quickly regained her composure.

"Riley! Get down to area ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!" she ordered.

Riley quickly complied.

"You mined that sun!" the Doctor screamed at her. "Stripped it's surface for cheap fuel! You should have scanned for life!"

"I don't understand." McDonnell told him.

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Martha asked.

The Doctor was having a hard time talking through the pain, so Lily rounded on them.

"The sun is alive!" she yelled at them. "A living organism! You scooped out it's heart, used it for fuel. Now it's screaming."

"What do you mean?" McDonnell demanded. "How can a sun be alive? Why's he saying that?"

"Because it's living inside him!" Lily screamed at her. "I tried to protect him, but it's power has no affect on me and I have none on it!"

"Oh my god…" McDonnell gasped.

"Humans!" the Doctor shouted. "You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry." He let out another scream of agony. "You should have scanned!"

"It takes too long!" McDonnell told him. "We'd be caught! Fusion scoops are illegal."

"You've got to freeze me, quickly." he told Lily, ignoring McDonnell completely now.

"What?" Martha said, rejoining Lily at his side.

"Stasis chamber!" he told them. "You gotta keep me…"

"Below minus 200." Lily finished. "I know."

"Freeze it out of me!" he told her desperately. He sounded terrified. "It'll use me to kill you if you don't!" he told her. "The closer we get to the sun, the stronger-" his voiced wavered between his normal voice and the voice of the sun, "it gets! Med-center! Quickly! Quickly!" he shouted.

"Help me." Lily ordered Martha and they half carried half dragged the Doctor between them, McDonnell following.

"Impact in 7:30."

* * *

Martha and Lily dragged the Doctor to the bed as he screamed.

"I can do this." Martha said to herself as she grabbed a handy manual nearby.

"Yes." Lily told her seriously. "You can."

"Lily!" the Doctor yelled, his eyes shut. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here, Doctor." she told him, grabbing his hand. "Open your eyes and look at me."

"No!" he shouted.

"Yes." she replied. "I need you to look at me."

"No." he repeated.

She grabbed his face between her hands.

"Doctor, I need you to trust me right now." she told him. "I need you to trust me. Trust me like you trusted Rose. Trust me like I trust you."

"I can't!" he yelled.

"Doctor, you won't hurt me!" she told him desperately. "I'm going to be fine."

"No, I won't lose you." he told her thrashing away from her, but she held steady.

"You won't lose me." she told him. "I will always be with you. Forever."

"Don't say that!" he yelled at her. "Rose said that."

"Yeah, well I told my Doctor the same thing." she told him harshly. "But guess what? I'm not Rose, and you're not that Doctor. And if Rassilon himself came to try to take me away from you, he would have a fight on his hands, one he might lose. And even if he won, I'd spend every second of the rest of forever trying to get back to you." She wiped a tear from his cheek. "So, please, Theta, trust me."

He moaned, but he did as she asked.

She looked into the glowing eyes, unharmed.

"Everything is going to be fine." she told him softly. "Let me save you for once."

"I've got it." Martha told her softly.

"Set it for minus 200." Lily told her, not looking away from the Doctor.

"No," McDonnell protested. "You don't know how this equipment works! You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!"

"He's not human!" Martha shot back. "If he says he can survive, then he can."

"Let me help you then!" McDonnell begged.

Martha glared at her, her eyes full of hate and anger.

"You've done enough damage." she growled at the other woman.

"Ten seconds." the Doctor shouted. "That's all I'll be able to take. No more!" He shut his eyes again as he screamed. "Martha!" he yelled.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"It's burning me up." he told her. "I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it," he voice strayed darker again, "I could kill you. I could kill you all." He screamed again. "Lily!" he yelled.

"I'm here!" she told him. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm scared." he told her. "I'm so scared!"

"Just…stay calm." Martha told him, while Lily gripped his hand tightly. "You saved me, now I'll return the favor. Just…just believe in me."

"It's bloody killing me!" he shouted. "Then what'll happen?"

"Then you'll regenerate." Lily told him calmly. "So you lose a life. I'll figure out a way to give you some of mine."

He screamed again and Martha tried to sooth him.

"Shh…quiet now." she told him. "Cause that's not gonna happen. You ready?"

"No!" the Doctor shouted.

She pulled Lily away as he screamed and pulled the lever that slid the Doctor into the chamber. She typed in 200 and pressed the start button. The Doctor screamed and didn't stop.

"No!" she yelled as Lily lunged forward. She grabbed the other woman around the waist and held her tightly as she fought to get to the Doctor. Martha watched the numbers closely as they began to drop.

"Heat shields failing." the computer told them. "At five percent."

A/N: 42 is almost done. Tell me what you think so far.

Question: How many of you want to see Jenny come back in the new episodes?  
Answer: I would love to see Jenny. I think she brings out such a cool part of the Doctor.

Abbey


	50. 42: 4:59 to 0:00

Disclaimer: Negotiation have once again stalled. They have so stupid hang up about giving away human beings. I don't know, I think they're just stalling.

Ch. 50:

Martha let go of Lily as she sank to her knees, tears pouring down her cheeks. Martha wasn't sure that the process was going to kill the Doctor, but she thought it might actually kill Lily to watch. She continued to watch as the number fell. Negative 66, 67, 68, 69, 70...and it shut off.

"No!" the Doctor shouted. "Martha you can't stop it! Not yet!"

"What's happened?" Lily demanded, flying to her feet.

"Power's been cut in engineering." McDonnell told them.

"But who's down there?" Martha asked.

McDonnell got a strange look on her face.

"Leave it to me." she told them before walking out, Martha and Lily watching her go.

The Doctor let out another scream and Lily ran to his side.

"Just hold on." she told him. "Hold on."

"Impact in 4:47."

* * *

Martha was still trying to get the stasis chamber to work, while Lily tried to keep the Doctor from hurting himself.

"Come on!" Martha shouted. "You're defrosting."

Lily looked to find that any ice crystals that might have formed on the Doctor were now gone.

"Martha, Lily!" the Doctor yelled. "Listen! I've only got a moment. You've gotta go!"

"No way!" Martha told him.

"Get to the front!" he ordered. "Vent the engines! Sun particles in the fuel! Get rid of them!"

"I'm not leaving you!" she told him.

"You've got to!" he shouted. "Give back what they took!"

"Doctor…" Martha began, but Lily cut her off.

"Martha, go." she told the other woman. "I'll watch your back."

Martha knew what she really meant was she would stay to stop the Doctor.

She backed towards the door.

"I'll be back for you." she told them before running out the door.

Lily watched her leave before turning back to the Doctor.

"Stay with me." she whispered. "Stay with me."

"Impact in 4:08."

* * *

As McDonnell stepped into the engine room, Korwin stepped into her path. Between her and the lever that she needed.

"You were right." she told him. "It was my fault."

She dove for the lever, but Korwin reached out and she stopped herself. His hand went to his visor, but McDonnell took off.

"Impact in 3:43."

* * *

Martha was running as fast as she had ever run. She knew that everything depended on her doing what the Doctor told her too. Area 21 and counting.

* * *

McDonnell was now hiding in the same air lock that Martha and Riley had chosen. As Korwin entered, she slowly got to her feet.

"I didn't know." she told him, moving towards the exterior hatch. "I really didn't know." He began to advance on her and she put out a hand to try to stop him. "Korwin, please stop."

She was now right in front of the hatch.

"Everyone. Must. Burn." Korwin told her.

McDonnell reached out to the keypad, first closing the inner door and then hitting the comm. unit.

"Riley, Scannell, I'm sorry." she called.

"McDonnell!" she heard Scannell call. "McDonnell!"

She pressed one last button. The one to open the exterior door. She put her hands on Korwin's helmet and moved in close.

"I love you." she whispered.

A second later, they were both pulled out the door and into the silence of space.

* * *

"Exterior airlock opened." the computer told the men.

Scannell and Riley looked at one another, realizing what their captain had just done.

"It's the last door." Riley told him. "We've gotta keep going!"

He rushed over to the door as the computer gave another update.

"Impact in 2:17."

* * *

The Doctor began pulling himself out of the stasis chamber. Lily backed away as he fought the force inside him. He screamed as it threw him to the floor.

"Doctor!" Lily cried out trying to get to him.

"No!" he yelled, bringing her up short.

"Element protection." the computer told them. "Zero percent."

Lily tried to move towards him again, but he shoved her, causing her to hit the bulkhead. Dazed, she watched as he crawled out of the med center. She shook her head and made to follow him.

She caught up with him just as he caught up with Martha.

"Martha!" he yelled.

Martha stopped and turned to look at him.

"Doctor!" she called. "What are you doing?"

"I can't fight it." he told her, falling to his knees. Lily quietly made her way behind him. "Give it back or…"

They watched as he opened his eyes. The Doctor was gone. All was left was the heat of the sun.

"Burn with me." he called to her. "Burn with me, Martha!"

"Martha, run!" Lily screamed, causing the Doctor to spin to face her.

Martha did as she said and took off.

"Doctor." Lily said calmly. "Don't make me fight you."

The Doctor seemed to be studying her.

"Go." he said, turning back around.

"What?" Lily asked, confused.

"Go." he repeated. "We will not harm you."

She ran around him so she was standing in front of him, blocking his path.

"Why?" she demanded.

"You are the vessel of the first." the being told her. "Leave and you will not be harmed."

He made to pass her, but Lily stood her ground.

"Ah, slight problem there." she told him. "See the body you're in happens to be very important to me. And to the…first."

"That can not be helped." he went to move but staggered, screaming.

"Lily." she heard him call softly.

"Doctor." she breathed.

"Impact in 1:21."

* * *

Scannell and Riley heard the Doctor scream over the intercom, but kept working to get the door open. Finally, they succeeded.

"Got it!" Riley shouted and they ran through.

They both ignored all the warnings around them and ran straight to two separate keypads, trying to boot up the auxiliary engines.

"Impact in 1:06."

"It's not working!" Riley called. "Why's it not working?"

Suddenly, Martha came running around the corner, screaming the Doctor's instructions to them.

"Vent the engines!" she yelled. "Dump the fuel."

Both men stared at her.

"What?" Scannell demanded.

"Sun particles in the fuel." she explained quickly. "Get rid of them. Do it! Now!" she yelled when neither man moved.

Both of them quickly sprang into action, heading to two identical walls and beginning to turn dials, releasing the fuel.

"Come on Doctor," Martha whispered, "hold on."

The men turn the last dial and the fuel begins to dump.

* * *

Lily held the Doctor tightly as he continued to scream. She watched as his eyes slowly stopped glowing and returned to their normal brown. He finally collapsed on her, obviously still in a lot of pain. She gently helped him lay out on the floor.

* * *

"There!" Scannell demanded as the last of the fuel left the ship and they were thrown to the ground. "How're we gonna fly?"

They watched as the count down hit zero and the computer gave them a new message.

"Impact averted. Impact averted."

"We're clear!" Riley shouted, grabbing Scannell in a hug. "We've got just enough reserves."

Martha smiled but suddenly realized some people were missing.

"Doctor…" she breathed before running out the door.

As she ran towards them, the Doctor weakly pulled himself to his feet while Lily leaned against the bulkhead and shut her eyes.

Martha ran to him and pulled him into a hug, which he returned, lifting her off the ground.

He let her go with a smile and moved to Lily.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him as he stood in front of her.

"I'm not speaking to you." she told him simply.

He smiled and held out his hand.

"I figured as much." he told her.

She glared at him and grasped his hand, letting him pull her up and wrap her in a tight hug.

"Can we please go home now?" she asked.

* * *

Riley and Scannell stood admiring the TARDIS while the Doctor and Martha walked around it, checking for damage. Lily just simply walked up to the front panel and hugged it, her arms stretching as far as they would reach.

"I know." she told the ship. "I won't ever let the bad Time Lord put you through that again. I know. I know. He's an evil man."

"Hey!" the Doctor protested.

"Careful." Lily told him, glaring. "I could leave you here."

"You don't know how to drive her." he shot back.

"If you can do it, I'm sure a trained baboon could do it." she replied.

"Well that takes you out of the running, doesn't it?" he asked.

Martha got between them.

"Stop it." she told them sternly. "Both of you."

Lily glared at him one last time before going back to holding the TARDIS.

"This is never your ship!" Scannell said.

"Compact, eh?" the Doctor said, admiringly. "And another good word: robust! Barely a scorch mark on her."

"We can't just leave them drifting with no fuel." Martha said to the Doctor, concerned for the boys."

"We've sent out an official mayday." Riley told her. "The authorities will pick us up soon enough."

"Though, how we explain what happened…" Scannell added.

"Just tell them." Lily said, opening the door to the TARDIS. "That sun needs care and protection, just like any other living thing."

Scannell nodded and Lily and the Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, still bickering. Martha moved to follow them, but Riley grabbed her arm.

"So…" he said. "Uh, you're off then."

Martha nodded.

"No chance I'll see you again?" he asked.

"Not really." Martha told him. "It was nice…not dying with you."

They both laughed half heartedly.

"I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in." she told him softly.

"I think I already did." he replied.

Martha hesitated for a moment before launching herself at him, grabbing him and kissing him. After a moment, she let go and backed away.

"Well done." she said. "Very hot."

Riley laughed and Martha stepped into the TARDIS. She walked up the ramp to the console where the Doctor was standing. Lily had collapsed into the jump seat.

"So!" she said, smiling. "Didn't really need you in the end, did we?"

She let the smile fade when she saw that he looked sad and distant.

"Sorry." she said. "How're you doing?"

The Doctor ignored the question, suddenly becoming business like.

"Now! What do you say?" he asked. "Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Cuhlhan? Fancy it?"

Martha just looked disappointed.

"Whatever you like." she told him unenthusiastically.

"By the way, you'll be needing this." he told her suddenly.

He reached into a pocket and pulled out a TARDIS key on a chain.

"Really?" she asked unbelieving.

"Frequent Flier's Privilege." he told her, nodding to Lily.

Martha looked and Lily held up her arm and Martha could see a two keys hanging from a chain on Lily's wrist, right next to each other.

"What's the other key?" Martha asked her.

"The key to the TARDIS from my reality." Lily told her.

The Doctor gently fed the chain into her hand.

"Thank you." he told her sincerely.

"Don't mention it." she told him.

He gave her a weak smile and continued tinkering with the TARDIS when she remembered something.

"Oh no!" she gasped. "Mum!"

The Doctor watched as she pulled out her cell and dialed. Lily got up and joined him at the console.

Back in 2007, Francine picked up her phone.

"Hello?" she said.

"Me again!" Martha replied.

"Three calls in one day." Francine said sarcastically.

"Sorry about earlier." Martha told her. Over emotional, mad day."

"What are you doing tonight?" Francine asked her. "Why don't you come round? I'll make something nice and we can catch up."

"Yeah!" Martha replied. "Tonight. Do my best. Um, just remind me, what day is it again?"

"Election day." Francine told her.

"Right." Martha agreed. "Course. I'll be round for tea. Roughly."

"And what about…" Francine started, but Martha interrupted.

"Anyway, gotta go!" she told her mother. "See you later! Love you!"

Martha hung up, smiling.

* * *

Francine hung up, looking slightly annoyed. Sitting at her table was the woman from earlier, flanked by two large men in suits. Francine put her phone in a clear plastic bag the woman was holding out.

"That's all?" she asked the woman.

"For now." the woman replied. "Have you voted?"

"Of course." Francine replied. "Just don't expect me to tell you who for."

"Thanks for all you're doing, Mrs. Jones." the woman told her. "Mister Saxon will be very grateful."

Francine closed her eyes and the woman and the two men left.

A/N: Dun Dun Duh! 42 is done. And we are over one hundred reviews, 11,000 hits, and 122,000 words. This story is getting kind of epic, don't you think? Let me think what you know. That sentence did really work right, did it? Oh well, you get the point. Also, look for a poll on my profile. I'm thinking about future storylines and having problems with the whole River issue. Go take the poll and tell me which way you think I should take it.

Question: What's your favorite remark the Doctor has ever made about Mickey?  
Answer: When they're on the ship during Girl in the Fireplace.  
Rose: You're not keeping the horse!  
Doctor: I let you keep Mickey!

Abbey


	51. Who I Am

Disclaimer: Negotiations have once again stalled, this time on my part. They keep adding in some ridiculous clause about sparing Moffat's life. It's like they're against murder or something. I don't know, my lawyers (a.k.a. Lily) are working on it.

Ch. 51:

Martha had decided that the last forty two minutes had left her needing a shower and a nap, which left the Doctor and Lily alone in the control room.

"Come on." Lily said, taking his hand and pulling him to the door. She took him down some corridors to a door he hadn't been through in a while. Inside, she set him down in a chair and walked to the piano.

"You said you wanted to hear me sing more, so what do you want to hear?" she asked.

They spent the next hour talking and she played and sang for him, doing anything to make him forget what had just happened.

When she finally got him to smile a real smile again, she stood up from the piano.

"I really need to take a shower." she told him with a laugh. "Why don't you find us something to eat?"

He nodded and she left to go back to their room.

He made it about half way to the kitchen when he decided he would rather just wait for her to get out of shower. While cooking with her wasn't always the smartest thing, is was infinitely more amusing, so he turned around and headed back to their room.

When he entered, he know immediately that something wasn't right. For one thing, the shower wasn't running, and for another, he could hear the sound of her crying from the bathroom. He went to the door and turned the handle, surprised to find it unlocked. Both of them were very careful to retain boundaries between them which included things like parts of their minds the other didn't enter and bathroom doors that remained locked when in use.

He pushed the door open to find her huddled in the shower, soaking wet, with blood flowing from her hand. He noticed that the mirror next to the shower was broken.

"Lily." he whispered, grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around her. He gently lifted her up and carried her to the bed, wrapping a blanket around the towel when he set her down.

"What happened?" he asked her. "Did you have a flash back? You haven't had one in weeks."

"No." she said softly. "It wasn't that."

"Then what was it?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"It was nothing. Just an accident." she replied.

He grabbed her hand and put it in front of her face.

"This was not an accident." he told her. "You broke that mirror and I want to know why."

She flinched away from him and he let go.

"Lily, I just want to help, but you have to let me in." he told her softly.

She started to cry and he pulled her to him, hushing her.

"I can't tell you." she said through her tears.

"Yes you can." he replied. "You can tell me anything."

"No, I can't." she told him. "You've had such a bad day, I won't make it worse."

He pulled away.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her. He made her look at him. "What's going on?"

She hesitated.

"You almost died today, and I couldn't stop it." she whispered.

"That's it?" he asked, confused. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"Because you were so scared!" she told him. "And I didn't want you to have to worry about me."

The Doctor shook his head.

"Lily, you're my bond-mate." he told her. "Now our relationship may not be the traditional one, but it's my job to worry about you."

"No." Lily replied. "It's my job to worry about you. It's my job to make sure you're alright. I'm supposed to take care of you."

He stared at her.

"We take care of each other." he told her simply.

He felt a flash of surprise, but she quickly clamped down on it.

"Nu-huh." he told her. "No more secrets. Why would that surprise you?"

She mumbled something.

"What?" he pushed.

She sighed.

"Because that's never how it was before." she told him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She got up, the towel still wrapped around her, and started pacing.

"With the Doctor, my original Doctor, I was in love with him, and, in his own way, he was in love with me." she told him. "But my main role in the relationship was to stave off his loneliness. I was his companion, and he treated me that way. My needs, my fears were always secondary. And I was ok with that because that's what he needed."

She sighed again.

"I was just a child when I met him." she told him. "Even by human standards. I never knew or wanted anything else. I wasn't until I came here, until I met you, that I realized how…unusual that relationship was."

"I don't understand." the Doctor told her.

She sat back down next to him.

"He treated me like a companion. You treat me like an equal." She reached up and gently touched his face with her unharmed hand. "You may be him, biologically, but mentally? You're two completely different men." She let her hand drop and shrugged her shoulders. "It's just taking some getting used to."

He met her eyes and held them.

"I don't want you to ever hide something like this from me again, understand?" he asked. "I mean it. You're not just here to take care of me. We take care of each other."

He gently took her hurt hand in his.

"You want to tell me why you broke the mirror?" he asked.

"It seem like the thing to do?" she told him.

"Lily…" he sighed.

"I don't know." she answered seriously. "I was upset and the next thing I knew, the mirror was broken and my hand was bleeding."

"Ok." he replied.

He got up and got a bandage from the bathroom. When he came back, he loosely wrapped it around her hand.

"Get dressed and meet me in the examine room." he told her.

She nodded and he got up and left. After he pulled the door shut, he leaned against it for a moment.

As much as he felt he owed the other Doctor for sending Lily to him, the Doctor now wanted to hit him. Why would he have ever let this woman think that what she felt was some how less important than what he felt? It did explain a few things though. Like Lily's natural tendency to blame herself for the deaths of her friends. He wondered how much of it was her and how much of it was him telling her that she needed to put everyone before herself.

He sighed and walked off to the examine room. A few minutes later, Lily walked in wearing a loose t-shirt and drawstring pants.

"Come on." he said, motioning to the exam table.

She sat down and he took her hand and unwrapped it.

"There's glass in this." he told her, grabbing a pair of tweezers to pull the slivers out. "Can you tell me why you were upset?" he asked her, gently beginning to remove the glass.

"I almost lost you." she told him simply.

He stopped and looked up at her.

"I've almost died before, and had no problem notifying me of your displeasure." he told her.

She shook her head.

"The other times, you were always sure you were going to be fine." she told him. "This time was different. This time you were scared. And that scared me more than anything."

He worked in silence for a few minutes.

"There." he said, setting aside the tweezers and going to pick up another device, but Lily stopped him.

"I'm sorry." she told him softly. "For breaking the mirror."

He took her face in between his hands and made her look at him.

"I'm not angry about the mirror." he told her. "I'm not mad at you at all. I'm just upset that someone made you think it wasn't alright for you to confide in me." He sighed. "You deserve to be shown the all the wonders of the universe and never worry about anything."

Her lip trembled.

"I want you to promise me something." he told her.

"What?" she asked.

"I want you to promise that if anything is ever bothering you, if you're ever upset, ever scared, that you'll tell me." The Doctor told her.

Lily hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Say the words." he told her.

"I promise." she whispered.

"Good."

He waved the device over her hand and the cuts were healed.

"All better." he told her.

She slowly got down and stood there. He reached over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Lets see what there is to eat, yeah?" he asked.

She smiled slightly and nodded, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yeah."

* * *

Lily walked into the control room carrying two bottles after they had finished eating.

"Ah ah." the Doctor said from where he was sitting on the floor, leaning against one of the pillars.

"Oh cool it." she told him handing him one bottle before sitting next to him. "Mine's root beer. You do know that the day I turn 21, I'm getting totally drunk just to bug you, right?"

"Yeah, have fun with that." he told her. He took a swig of his bottle and choked. "What is this?" he asked.

She grinned at him.

"Root beer." she told him simply before taking a swig of hers. "If I can't have beer, neither can you."

"Fantastic." he replied sarcastically.

Lily just grinned at him.

"TARDIS, can we have some music?" Lily called.

_I'll Be_ came blaring through the control room and Lily laughed when the Doctor winced.

"Really?" he called to the TARDIS. "You couldn't have found a slightly less annoying song?"

"Don't tempt her." Lily told him, setting her bottle next to her. "Come on." she said, getting up and pulling him with her.

"Oh no." he said, shaking his head. "I don't dance."

"I'll believe that when I see it." she told him as she took his bottle. "Plus, I thought the great and powerful Doctor could do anything."

He just glared at her.

"Fine." she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess I was misinformed."

She laughed as he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"I can do anything." he told her, pulling her close.

And that's where Martha found them a few hours later, bottles all around, both of them laughing madly.

"Are you both drunk?" was her only question.

A/N: I wanted to show that Lily is really starting to see that her original Doctor and this Doctor really are two different people. The theory is that Rose was able to heal the Doctor in ways Lily wasn't capable of, purely because she had her own issues she was dealing with, namely finding out that she wasn't the person she thought she always was. My idea is that she loved the Doctor, but she also used him to define who she was and now she's having to learn how to be herself and it's hard for her. Anyway let me know what you think.

Spoiler Alert: Next question and answer have to do with the fifth series up to and including the last episode in the UK, Time of the Angels. Read and answer at your own risk.

Question: What is your favorite Doctor/Amy moment so far?  
Answer: I have two, one for young Amelia and one for older Amy. First is when he first meets her and he's trying foods and he tells her: "You're Scottish, fry something." As a second generation Scot living in America, this line kills me. Second is in Time of the Angels when he bites her hand. I loved it. It was just such over kill.

Abbey


	52. Human Nature: A madman, servant, & Lady

Disclaimer: Okay, I've agreed to life imprisonment for Moffat, but now they're waffling on TARDIS rights. I'm beginning to think I should just blow them all up and declare myself dictator. I'm speaking of blowing up the world you understand.

Ch. 52:

The console was sparking like mad as The Doctor, Lily and Martha picked themselves up from the floor.

"Did they see you?" the Doctor demanded, grabbing Martha tightly.

"I don't know!" she replied.

"Did they see you?" he repeated urgently.

"I don't know!" Martha shouted. "I was too busy running!"

"Martha, it's important." he told her. "Did they see your face?"

"No, they couldn't have!" she replied.

"What about you?" he asked Lily, rounding on her.

"No, but what does it matter?" she said, breathing hard. "They can smell me just like they can smell you."

"Yeah, but I have a solution to that." he told her, running to the console. "But first," he threw a switch, "off we go!"

Martha came to stand next to him and Lily stood on the other side, still trying to catch her breath. The Doctor and Lily were both watching the screen closely.

"Aw, shit." Lily moaned. "Come on."

"They're following us." The Doctor explained to Martha.

"How can they do that?" Martha demanded. "You've got a time machine."

"Stolen tech." Lily said. "They've got a freaking vortex manipulator. Stupid Time Agents. I don't care if it bugs Jack, I'm tracking them all down and forcibly removing the damn things." She pointed at the screen angrily. "The vortex is me. They're using me against me. Does this strike anyone else as twisted?"

"They can follow us wherever we go." The Doctor said. "Right across the universe." He paused. "They're never going to stop."

He ran a hand through his hair, thinking.

"Unless…" he said quietly. "I'll have to do it…

"Oh no." Lily said when she realized what his idea was. "That's a terrible plan. I've done it. Not fun. Come up with a better plan."

"That's all I've got." he told her.

"We're dead." she moaned. She sank to the floor. "I guess I should start increasing our life expectancies now."

She closed her eyes and started talking to the TARDIS silently and quickly.

"Martha, you trust me don't you?" he asked her, grabbing her shoulders again.

"Of course I do." she replied.

"Cause it all depends on you." he told her.

He dove under the console.

"Other box." Lily called, eyes still shut.

The Doctor crawled back out with something in his hand.

"What does…what am I supposed to do?" Martha asked.

"Take this watch," he told her showing her a watch similar to Lily's, "cause my life depends on it. The watch, Martha-The watch is-"

John Smith awoke in a ornate Victorian room. He blinked in confusion, clearing the dream from his eyes. After a couple seconds, he pushed himself up and put his feet on the floor. A second later there was a knock at the door followed by the sound of the door opening.

"Come in." John called.

Martha walked in, carrying a tray of breakfast. Spotting John still in bed, her eyes widened and she turned around.

"Pardon me, Mr. Smith, you're not dressed yet." she said, embarrassed. "I can come back later…"

"Please, Martha." said Lily, breezing past her, still in her nightgown. "Why should we care about things like that?"

"Because some of us have a sense of decorum." John said, standing and wrapping a dressing gown around himself. "We don't walk into men's rooms still in our night clothes."

"Well since my maid is bring you breakfast, and I can't put a corset on by myself, I believe this is your fault not mine." Lily told him, plopping herself down on his bed.

John was ignoring Lily though, choosing to watch Martha. She looked up and caught him staring.

"I was, um…" he said nervously. "Sorry, sorry." He paused thoughtfully. "Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams." he told her.

"What about, sir?" Martha asked as she drew the curtains.

"I dream I'm this…" he paused as he searched for the right term, "adventurer. This…daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my…companion."

"A teacher and a housemaid, sir?" she asked. "That's impossible."

"Ah no, a man from another world, though…" he told her trailing off.

"And I wasn't there?" Lily called, sitting up on the bed. "I'm hurt, Johnny."

"Don't call me Johnny." he told her crossly. "And no, you were there too, a thorn in my side as usual."

She smiled and hopped off the bed, bouncing across the room to kiss him on the cheek. Also to steal a piece of toast.

"I love you too, Johnny." She told him, her mouth full of toast.

He shook his head at her and moved to the fireplace, picking up the watched that rested on the mantle.

"This thing…" he said softly, looking at it.

With his back turned, he didn't notice the look Martha and Lily exchanged.

"The watch…" he whispered.

After a second though, he put it back with a sigh.

"Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away." he told them. "But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the year of Our Lord two thousand and seven."

"Sorry to tell you this, Johnny." Lily said, picking up the paper and handing it to him. "It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen." she told him. "Also, last I checked, you're completely human." She grinned at him. "I could check again though, if you like."

"Get out." he said, pointing at the door.

"Whatever you say, Johnny." she said, bouncing to the door. "Come on Martha, lets get this ridiculous corset thing over with."

Martha followed her out, shutting the door after them.

John moved to window and looked out over the fields.

"Mmmm." he said to himself. "That's me; completely human."

* * *

John Smith walked the halls, dressed in his teaching robes, on his way to class.

"Morning, sir." a few boys called.

As he walked pass the library, he ducked in to find Lily rearranging some books.

"Did you take your medicine this morning?" he asked her.

"Yes, father." she told him, sticking her tongue out at him.

He sighed.

"I know you refuse to lose that ridiculous accent, but could please try to act less like the American heathen my family took in, and more like the proper young lady we raised you to be?" he asked her.

She seemed to think about if for a moment before shrugging.

"All evidence points to the answer that that question being no." she told him primly.

"Why do I put up with you?" he asked wearily.

She grinned at him.

"Because you love me." she told him. "Also because your dear brother, my husband James, asked you to."

"Yes, I believe the second has more to do with it then the first." John told her.

She put her hand to her chest and sad down, looking sad.

"Well, if that's how you feel…" she sighed.

She looked at the ground from the step stool she was on, closed her eyes, and fell backwards.

John, quite used to her theatrics, was right there to catch her.

"I knew you loved me!" she exclaimed. "I knew you wouldn't let me die!"

"More likely I don't want to have to listen to you complain about your headache after you hit your head." he told her, setting her on her feet.

"You can't fool me, Johnny." she told him.

"Don't call me Johnny." he told her sternly.

"What ever you say, Jooohhnnn." she said, dragging out his name.

"I have to go to class." he told her. "I'll see you at lunch."

"Actually," she called after him, "I'm eating lunch with Martha today."

She glared at him when he turned back, a disapproving look on his face.

"Martha is my oldest friend, besides you." she told him.

"Martha is a servant." he replied.

"So?" Lily shot back. "I'd rather eat with her then a group a men who discredit everything I say simply because I'm a woman."

"They are learned men." he told her sternly.

"And I am just as learned as they are." she replied. "I studied everything you and James studied, so why am I less capable of rational thought than you?"

"The Matron manages to eat with the men." he told her.

"The Matron shuts up and doesn't show any dissent." Lily told him with a glare. She held up a hand to forestall anymore argument. "I don't want to fight, John." she told him. "Look, I'm eating lunch with Martha, and then we are going for a walk. I will eat dinner with the faculty if it will make you happy."

"I suppose that will do." he told her grudgingly.

Seeing that she was still upset with him, he walked over and gently kissed her cheek.

"I'll see later, Lily girl." he told her softly.

She smiled and nodded.

When he had left, she took out a bottle and syringe.

"_What is this?" Lily asked, rolling the bottle in her hands._

"_It's a serum I've been working on." the Doctor told her. "Ever since the Judoon. It should block your cells ability to channel the power of the vortex."_

"_So I'd be normal?" Lily asked, amazed. "Just…human?"_

"_Yes." he told her._

"_I don't know how I feel about that." she said quietly._

"_I know." he replied. "But this will keep them from finding you."_

_He hesitated a second before speaking again._

"_You understand why Martha must be the one to keep the watch, yeah?" he asked her._

_She looked at him like he was an idiot._

"_Because two watches together would defeat the purpose?" she asked him sarcastically._

"_Just making sure." he said._

She sighed and began preparing the dose. She had lied to John. She always left it until the last moment, until she could feel just the smallest connection to the vortex. She knew was dangerous, but she hated this feeling of uselessness.

She injected the serum into her arm and sighed as that sense of belonging she always felt from the vortex began to dissipate.

"I wonder where Martha is?" she murmured to herself.

* * *

Martha was currently in a hallway scrubbing the floor with another servant.

"Morning, sir." she called to John as he passed.

John slowed slightly.

"Yes, hi." he told her distractedly before disappearing up the stairs.

"Head in the clouds, that one." the other servant, Jenny, said. "Don't know why you're so sweet on him."

"He's just kind to me, that's all." Martha replied. "I'm really his sister-in-law's maid, not his, but he's always kind. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being-"

She motioned to her face and the color of her skin.

"A Londoner?" Jenny replied with a grin.

"Exactly." Martha said with a matching grin. "Good old London town!"

The two woman laughed.

"Ah, now then, you two." a older boy called to them.

Martha and Jenny stopped laughing and looked up.

"You're not paid to have fun, are you?" he told them. "Put a little backbone into it."

"Yes, sir." Jenny said, looking down. "Sorry, sir."

"You there," the other boy called. "What's your name again?"

"Martha, sir." she told him. "Martha Jones."

"Tell me then, Jones." he said, sneering. "With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?"

Both boys laughed cruelly.

"Apologize, Hutchinson." a voice called from the stairs.

The boys turned to see Lily standing behind them.

"But, Mrs. Smith, she's just a servant." the boy, Hutchinson, protested.

"No, she is my maid." Lily replied. "And you have behaved not as a young man of breeding but as a commoner. The true measure of a man is not seen in how he treats his equals, but in how he treats his inferiors." she told him. "So you will apologize for the slight not only against my maid, but against me."

He glared at her.

"Should I call the headmaster, then?" Lily asked innocently.

Hutchinson grudgingly turned back to Martha.

"I apologize." he said stiffly.

"Think nothing of it, sir." Martha replied, resisting the urge to grin.

"Now," Lily told them, "you and Baines run off to class."

Both boys turned and stalked off without another word.

Lily watched them go before leaning on a nearby table.

"Martha, remind me again why I don't kill those two?" Lily called.

"Because murder is illegal, Miss Lily." Martha called back, going back to her scrubbing.

"Pity." Lily replied. She sighed and walked over to the two women. "Can I help?" she asked

"Not if you ever expect to wear that dress again." Martha told her. "Because I'm not fixing it for you after you ruin it."

"Martha!" Jenny rebuked her, but Lily just laughed.

"Well we can't have that, can we?" Lily said. "We're still having lunch, right?" she asked Martha.

"Yeah." Martha replied. "Would you mind if Jenny joined us?"

"Not at all." Lily said, smiling at Jenny.

"Thank you ma'am." Jenny said hesitantly.

"Call me Lily." Lily told her.

"Oh, I couldn't." Jenny protested.

"Jenny, I'm American." Lily told her with a laugh. "In the eyes of the men and boys in this school, I'm not much better than a servant, so why should you treat me any differently?"

Seeing the woman was still uncomfortable, Lily sighed.

"You can call me Miss Lily, if it will make you feel better." she told her.

Jenny grinned.

"Aye, I think I could do that." she replied.

"Well," Lily said, sighing. "I must go back and make sure that the little monsters don't destroy my library any further than they already have."

"Just think though." Jenny said. "In a few years time, boys like that will be running the country."

Lily and Martha exchanged a look before Lily left.

"Nineteen thirteen." Martha whispered to herself. "They might not."

* * *

John was walking along, a giant stack of books in his arms. One fell and John quickly stepped on it to keep it from falling further.

"There we go." he said.

"Let me help you." Matron Redfern called.

"No, no. I've got it, no…" he called back, looking from the stack in his arms to the book on the floor. "Um…ah…Just to…retrieve…ah…If you could take these-" he handed her the stack of books and bent to pick up the book.

"Good." Matron Redfern said, smiling warmly.

"No harm done." he said, smiling back at her. "So, um, how was Jenkins?" he asked.

"Oh, just a cold, nothing serious." she told him. "I think he's missing his mother, more than anything."

"Aw, can't have that." John replied sympathetically.

"He received a letter this morning so he's a lot more chipper." she told him. She looked down at the books she was still holding. "I appear to be holding you books." she told him.

John, who was staring at her face, started.

"Yes, so you are!" he exclaimed. "Sorry, sorry."

He started to take the books back awkwardly.

"Just let me-" he said.

"No, why don't I take half?" she asked.

"Ah, brilliant idea, brilliant." he told her, flustered. "Perfect. Division of labor."

"We make quite a team." she told him.

"Don't we just." he replied, giving her a daft smile.

"So, these books." she said, as they stood there. "Were they being taken in any particular direction?"

"Yes, um…" He looked around. "This way. Lily is insisting that every book in her library be accounted for, and I seem to have collected quite a few." he told her with a laugh.

"Lily, your sister?" the Matron asked.

"Sister-in-law, actually." he told her. "She was my brother's wife. I took her in when he died."

"Oh, I'm sorry." she replied quickly.

"It's alright, Matron, it was almost a year ago." he told her.

"Truth be told," she said, "when it's just you and me, I'd much rather you call me Nurse Redfern. Matron sounds rather…well, matronly."

"Ah, Nurse Redfern it is then." he told her with a chuckle.

"Though, we've known each other all of two months, you could even say 'Joan'." she told him demurely.

"Joan?" he asked.

"That's my name." she replied with a laugh.

"Well, obviously." John replied, flustered again.

"And it's John, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, "yes it is."

The walked by a notice board on the wall, and Joan stopped.

"Have you seen this, John?" she asked. "The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts." She paused. "Do you think you'll go?"

"I expect that Lily will drag me along, whether I want to go or not." he told her densely.

"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no one's asked me." she told him with a nervous chuckle.

"Well, I should imagine that you would be…um…I mean I never thought you'd be one for…I mean there's no reason why you shouldn't…if you do, you may not…I probably won't but even if I did then I couldn't…um, I mean I wouldn't want to-" John babbled nervously.

"The stairs." Joan told him.

"It-what about the stairs?" he asked.

"They're right behind you." she told him.

He turned to look, but became over balanced and fell, sending books flying everywhere.

A/N: Human Nature. Who will John choose, Lily, the Doctor's bond mate, or Joan, the beautiful human? Dun dun duh. So let me know what you think, just like always.

Question: What's your favorite episode from series 1 of the new series?  
Answer: Has to be Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways but The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances comes in at a close second.

Abbey


	53. Human Nature: Falling Objects

Disclaimer: Negotiation are officially over. I have opted for the Plan E for explosion. If you would like to be on my spaceship, safe and sound you will need to write an essay detailing why I am the rightful owner of Doctor Who. David and Matt will of course be saved, as will the TARDIS. Slots are limited and filling fast, so hurry up.

Ch. 53:

"Stop it." Joan said, smiling as he groaned as she cleaned his cut. "I get boys causing less fuss than this."

"Because it hurts!" John protested sulkily.

The door burst in and Martha came running in.

"Is he alright?" she asked.

"Excuse me, Martha." Joan rebuked. "It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking."

"She's with me." Lily said, running in. "But since I'm wearing a damn corset and she's not, she can run faster. Also I don't knock." she told the other woman.

"Language." John rebuked her.

She sank to her knees in front of John, grasping his face with both hands.

"They said you fell down the stairs." she said softly.

He reached up and gently grasped one of her hands.

"It was just a tumble, that's all." he told her.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"What have I told you about scaring me like that?" she told him sternly.

"It's not like I meant to fall." he told her crossly.

"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked Joan.

"I have." the woman answered crossly. "And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you."

"I wouldn't bet on that." Lily answered, glaring up at the woman. "One of Martha's duties is to look after my health."

"You're sick?" Joan asked her. "Why have you never come to me?"

"Because it is a private family matter." Lily sneered at her. "And since you are not family and Martha is perfectly capable of taking care of me, I felt no need to inform you of it."

"I was just telling Nurse Redfern-Matron," he quickly changed when Lily glared at him, "um, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales." he told them, trying to defuse the tension between the two women. "I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding…"

"Hiding?" Joan asked. "In what way?"

"Um…er…almost every night…" He laughed. "This is going to sound silly-"

"Tell me." Joan pushed.

"I dream, quite often that I have two hearts." he told her.

"And every morning," Lily interjected, "I assure him that, although he loves enough for two," she gently laid a hand on his chest, "his body contains only one."

She stared into his eyes and he gently grasped her hand and held it.

"Ahem." Martha cleared her throat, bringing them back to the room.

"I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction…um," he hesitated, "not that it would be of any interest…"

"I'd be very interested." Joan replied.

Lily got to her feet and stalked to the other side of room and Martha followed her, as John stood and moved to his desk.

"What is wrong with you?" Martha hissed.

"Those are our stories." Lily hissed back. "Mine, and yours, and the Doctors. Rose is in there. He shouldn't just be throwing them around for amusement."

"To him they're just dreams." Martha told her softly. "You need to get a handle on yourself."

Lily sighed.

"I know." she told her friend softly. "It's just, it's so quiet in my head. It's driving me mad."

"I know, but one more month and we'll be gone." Martha reassured her.

Lily nodded and hugged her friend, ignoring the disapproving look John shot her as he handed the book to Joan.

She walked back, her arm linked with Martha's, just as Joan was opening the book.

"Just look at these creatures!" Joan exclaimed as she turned to picture of a Dalek.

Martha actually heard Lily grind her teeth and elbowed her slightly.

"Such imagination." she continued.

"It's become quite a hobby." John told her.

"I think it's fantastic." Lily said, grinning up at him, which he returned.

"It is wonderful." Joan agreed, turning the page again and landing on a picture of Rose. "And quite an eye for the pretty girls." she told him.

"Oh no, no." he told her. "She's just an invention. This character, Rose, I call her, Rose."

Martha felt Lily stiffen next to her and looked up to see her look away from the book, sadness written on her face.

"Seems to disappear later on…" John said, not noticing Lily's reaction.

Another page, this containing a small drawing of the TARDIS.

"Ah, that's the box, the blue box." he told her. "It's always there. Like a…like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places."

"Like a doorway?" Joan asked.

"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true." he told her.

"Could I see that a moment." Lily asked suddenly, taking the book from Joan.

She ran her fingers over the faces of the Doctor, landing on the ninth face and looking at it sadly.

John stared at the face she focused on.

"Oh, Lily." he said softly. "I'm sorry. I never realized James had made his way into my dreams."

"It's alright." Lily told him. "I was just surprised."

She closed the book and handed it back to him.

"It's just a dream." she said softly.

* * *

Joan left John and Lily alone, but Martha followed her.

"Ma'am!" she called. "That book-"

"Oh, I'll look after it, don't worry." Joan told her. "He did say I could read it."

She went to leave, but Martha stopped her again.

"But it's silly, that's all." she told her. "Just stories."

"Who is he, Martha?" Joan asked her.

"I'm sorry?" Martha asked.

"It's like he's left the kettle on. Like…" she paused. "He knows he something to get back to, but he can't remember what."

"That's just him." Martha told her nervously.

"You arrived with him, didn't you?" Joan asked. "You're his sister-in-law's maid, isn't that right?"

"I grew up with them." Martha told her. "Miss Lily was taken in when she was a young girl, and when she married Master James, I went with her. When Master James died, we returned to Master John."

"Well, I'd be careful." Joan told her. "If you don't mind my saying, you sometimes seem a little familiar with him. Best remember your position."

With a nod, she left. Lily walked out of the room and stood behind Martha.

"If she ever talks to you like that again," Lily said quietly, "punch her."

Martha just shook her head and walked off, laughing softly.

"Or I could do it for you!" Lily called after her as she ran to catch up.

* * *

"Ooh, it's freezing out here!" Martha said, as she brought a pint out to Jenny. "Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?"

"Now, don't be ridiculous." Jenny told her. "You do get these notions! It's all very well for those Suffragettes; but that's London, that's miles away."

"But don't you want to scream sometimes, having to bow and scrape and behave?" Martha asked. "Don't you just wanna…uh oh."

She spotted Lily walking down the road. Well, stalking was more like it. Lily looked every inch the mad woman.

Spotting Martha, she changed direction and headed straight towards her.

"I'll kill them all." she said without preamble. "Every last stupid one."

"I take it dinner did not go well." Martha said, making room for her.

"Hah!" Lily said, sitting down. "I've seen natural disasters that were easier to stomach than that bunch of morons." she huffed. "'Oh Mr. Smith, your sister in law is so charmingly naïve, but you should teach her that women are meant to be seen, not heard'." she said mockingly.

"What did you say?" Martha asked.

"I may have told them that, when mixed properly, two certain elements cause a fairly large boom." Lily told her innocently.

"Are these two elements ones that normally explode when put together?" Martha asked wearily.

"No." Lily admitted.

"Lily!" Martha rebuked.

"I'm sorry." Lily whined. "But they're so superior. And John didn't stick up for me, not once!" She buried her head in her arms on the table. "I wanna go home." they heard her say.

"One more month." Martha told her, rubbing her back. "One more month and we'll be gone."

"I can't wait." Lily said, raising her head to look at the stars.

Suddenly a green light flared in the sky.

"Did you see that?" Martha asked.

"See what?" Jenny asked, looking up.

"Did you see it though?" Martha asked again. She stood up, Lily following suit. "Right there, just for a second."

"Martha, there's nothing there." Jenny told her, returning to her drink.

"Yes there was." Lily muttered.

She sat down only to groan and stand back up.

Up the road came Joan, running.

"Matron, are you alright?" Martha asked her.

"Did you see that?" Joan asked them breathlessly. "There was something in the woods…this light…"

Just then John walked up to them.

"There you are-Oh hello, Nurse Redfern." he said as he joined them.

"You-don't talk to me." Lily told him, glaring.

"Lily-" he tried, but she cut him off.

"No." she said angrily. "You will not speak to me. Since your so embarrassed by me, this should make your life that much simpler."

"Can we please have a discussion like rational adults?" he shot back. "I know it's hard for you to act as such but-"

"Oh, there we go!" Lily exclaimed, throwing up her arms. "You know what, Jonathan? You can rot in-"

"There, look!" Joan said pointing at another green light in the sky.

Lily and Martha exchanged a look.

"That's beautiful." Jenny said softly.

"They're meteorites." John told them. "It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."

"It came down in the woods." Joan said.

"No, no, no, they always look close, when actually they're miles off." he told her. "Nothing left but cinder."

He turned back to Lily.

"Now, can we please go back to the school and discuss this?" he asked her. "Please?"

"You can discuss it all you like." Lily told him. "I shall be ignoring you."

With that, she turned to Martha.

"Martha, please check in with me before you go to bed?" she asked, her eyes flicking towards the woods.

Martha nodded that she understood and Lily turned back around, and without another word, stalked off towards the school.

John sighed.

"I should escort you back to the school." he told Joan. "And we should go before she-"

"OW!" came Lily's cry.

John sighed again.

"Too late." he muttered.

"John." Lily called.

"Would you ladies like to come with us?" John asked Martha and Jenny.

"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha told him.

"Then I shall bid you goodnight." he said as Lily called for him again.

He led Joan a little ways down the road to find Lily sitting there, looking fairly pathetic.

"What happened?" he asked.

She looked almost in tears.

"I fell down, and I can't get up in this stupid dress." she said, not meeting his eyes.

"Come on." he said simply, holding out his hand.

She grasped it and he helped her to her feet.

"Can you walk?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"Then lets go home." he told her, not letting go of her hand.

He never even noticed her mutter.

"I wish."

* * *

"Jenny, where was that?" Martha asked. "On the horizon, where the light was headed."

"That's by Cooper's Field." Jenny told her.

Martha took off in that direction.

"You can't just run off!" Jenny called after her. "It's dark, you'll break a leg!"

Martha reached a clearing in the woods, but there was nothing as far as she could see. Jenny came running behind her, much slower.

"There y'are…" Jenny said breathlessly. "Nothing there. I told you so."

"And that's Cooper's Field?" Martha asked, pointing in front of her.

"As far as the eye can see." Jenny told her. "And no falling star. Now come on, I'm frozen to the bone. Let's go. As your Mr. Smith says, 'Nothing to see'."

Martha nodded and followed her back to the school.

* * *

"There was nothing?" Lily asked.

"Nope." Martha replied, sitting on the bed.

Lily plopped down next to her.

"Maybe we'll get lucky." she said. "Maybe we'll live out this god-awful month, trick John into opening the watch, get the Doctor back, and go on our merry way out of this hell hole."

"Do you really believe that?" Martha asked.

"Of course." Lily said sarcastically. "And I also believe that unicorns are going to ride in and save the day."

"Yeah I didn't think so." Martha replied.

"We need to go to the TARDIS." Lily said after a moment.

A/N: Chapter two done. Lily really doesn't do well in Victorian England, does she? And she also doesn't seem to get on well with the human Doctor. What does the future hold in store? Find out next time on Never Gonna Be Alone.

Question: What is your favorite quote, Doctor Who or Torchwood, about the Doctor?  
Answer: As hard a question as this is, I think I'm going to have to go with Gwen from Children of Earth (It changes on a daily basis, but at this moment, this is the one I'm going with):  
There's one thing I always meant to ask Jack. Back in the old days. I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. The man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world. Except sometimes he doesn't. All those times in history when there was no sign of him, I wanted to know why not. But I don't need to ask any more. I know the answer now. Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame.

Abbey


	54. Human Nature: Nightmares Real & Imagined

Disclaimer: I should probably have mentioned that seats on my spaceship are purely arbitrary. I will not actually be reading your essays. But you do have to send one to be considered. Just call me fickle. (Serious note: Don't you love how the majority of my disclaimers don't ever actually say I don't own Doctor Who?)

Ch. 54:

"Hello, girl." Lily whispered as she walked into the dormant ship.

"I still can't believe we're talking to a machine." Martha marveled with a shake of her head.

"A TARDIS isn't a machine." Lily told her, her eyes closed. "They're grown and they only bond with a Time Lord of their choosing." Lily opened her eyes and looked at her friend. "The TARDIS is a sentient being. She only bares us because she chooses too."

"_Look out!" the Doctor shouted as a bolt flashed past and the console exploded in sparks._

Lily gently ran her hand across the console towards the screen.

"_They can follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They're never going to stop…Martha, you trust me don't you?" he asked her._

"_Of course I do-" she told him._

"_Cause it all depends on you." he told her._

Martha joined Lily at the console, both thinking about the last time they had been here with the Doctor.

"_Martha, this watch is me." he told her. "Just like Lily's watch is her."_

_Martha took it, looking totally confused._

"…_Right, okay, gotcha…No, hold on! Completely lost!" she told him._

"_Those creatures are hunters." The Doctor told her. "They can siff out anyone-and me being a Time Lord and Lily being…well whatever you want to call her; the point is, we're unique. They can track us down across the whole of time and space."_

"_And the good new is?" Martha asked, with a humorless laugh._

"_They can smell us, they haven't seen us." he told her. "And their life's bound to be running out-so, we hide, wait for them to die."_

"_But they can track us down." Martha pointed out._

"_That's why I've got to do it." he told her seriously. "I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm gonna become human."_

Martha glanced at the head set hanging from the ceiling while Lily tried to look anywhere but there.

"_Never thought I'd use this." the Doctor murmured. "All the times I've wondered…"_

"_What does it do?" Martha asked._

"_It's a Chameleon Arch." Lily surprised them by walking up behind them and answering. "It'll re-write his biology. Literally change every single cell in his body." She stared at the device, tightly controlled fear in her eyes. "It's how my parents made me human." she told Martha._

_The Doctor took the watch from Martha and went to put it in the device, but Lily stopped him. _

"_We're Time Lords." she told him softly. "We don't have to run."_

"_No." he replied softly. "I won't do that to them, not unless we have no other option."_

_Lily hesitated before letting go and nodding._

"_The TARDIS and I have taken care of everything." she told him. "We've come up with a cover story, found a place and time. I even wrote Martha and me into your memories."_

"_But…hold on." Martha interrupted. "If you're going to rewrite every single cell-isn't it going to hurt?"_

"_Oh yeah." the Doctor agreed. "It hurts."_

"_Three months." Lily whispered, backing away as he put the headset on. "Three months and I'll wake you up. I promise."_

_He nodded and Lily, tears flowing, pressed a switch on the console. She grabbed on and held. Never once did she turn back around as the Doctor screamed. When it all stopped and Martha got her to let go, her hands were bleeding._

Lily looked down at the mostly healed cuts running along her hands.

Martha and Lily were both standing in front of the screen now, and Lily tapped it to wake it up.

"Come on girl." she said. "Wake up for just a minute, okay?"

The screen turned on, showing a video of the Doctor.

"This working?" the Doctor on tape called, tapping the camera.

"It's working just fine!" they heard Lily call off camera. "Just record the damn thing!"

"Fine." he huffed. "Martha, Lily, before I change, here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One: don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like."

"Stop insulting species and get on with it." Lily called from the background again.

"Two:" he continued, ignoring her. "Don't worry about the TARDIS, I'll put her on emergency power so they can't detect it. Just let her hide away. Four-no, wait a minute, three: No getting involved in big historical events. Four: You two. Don't let me abandon you. And fi-"

"Oh this is useless." Lily complained, twisting a dial and fast forwarding through the video. "He never told us what we were supposed to do in case of the damn invasion from space."

"And twenty three." the Doctor recording said as Lily let go of the dial. "If anything goes wrong, if they find us, Lily, you know what to do. Make me open the watch."

* * *

Back in his study, John walked over to the fireplace.

"_Everything I am is kept safe in there."_

John picked up the watch, studying it. He turned it over in his hands.

"_Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human me won't think anything of it. To him it's just a watch."

* * *

_

The Doctor on the screen was serious.

"But don't open it unless you have to." he told them. "Because, once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to you two. It's your choice."

He got up and walked off screen and then came back.

"Oh, and, thank you." he told them with a smile.

The screen went back to it's normal display.

Lily walked away while Martha stared at the screen.

"I wish you'd come back." Martha whispered.

There was a loud crash and Martha looked over to see that Lily had kicked over the coat stand.

"For both of us." she continued softly.

* * *

A boy, Latimer, stood outside the door marked 'J. Smith'. He knocked and the door opened to reveal John.

"You told me to come and collect that book, sir." he told him.

"Good lad, yes…yes!" John said, motioning Latimer inside. "The Definitive Account of Mafeking, by Aitchison-Price. Where did I put it?"

He walked over to his desk and Latimer followed slowly.

"And I wanted a little word." John told him as he looked for the book. "Your marks aren't quite good enough."

"I'm top ten in my class, sir." Latimer pointed out respectively.

"Now, be honest, Timothy." John told him. "You should be the very top. You're a clever boy, but you seem to be hiding it." He glanced around the room. "Where is that book…? I was sure I got it from Lily." he said to himself.

Having no luck with his desk, John moved into the annex Library in the next room.

"And I know why." he called to Latimer. "Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?"

"Yes sir…" Latimer called, not really paying attention. Something else had caught his attention.

"You're clever, be proud of it." John called. "Use it."

Whispering voices seem to be calling to Latimer. All coming from a watch on the mantle.

"Time Lord…" it seemed to whisper. "Timothy, hide yourself…I'm trapped, kept inside the cogs…"

Latimer reached out and pressed the release button on the watch and wisps of golden energy escape.

On the grounds, the annoying boy from earlier, Baines, whips his head around, picking up a scent.

* * *

Lily stopped on the road back to the school, causing Martha to stop a few steps on.

"Lily?" she called.

Lily took out the watch she always carried and stared at it. It was glowing slightly.

"Mate…" she heard it whisper. "Time Lord…"

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked it.

"Lily, what's going on?" Martha asked, walking back to her friend.

"Danger…" the watch told her.

"I don't know." Lily said, looking up at the other woman.

* * *

As John walked back into the room, Latimer quickly closed the watch again.

"Fascinating details about the siege," he was telling him. "Really quite remarkable-are you alright?"

"Yes, sir." Latimer replied. "Fine, sir."

"Right then." John said. "Good. And remember-use that brain of yours!"

He held the book out and Latimer went to take it. But when he touched the book, Mr. Smith looked different.

"Power of a Time Lord…" the voice whispered.

Latimer saw the Doctor. The true Doctor, in his pinstripe suit, wielding the sonic screwdriver. The vision faded as John released the book.

"You're really not looking yourself, old chap." John told him. "Anything bothering you, or…?"

"No sir." Latimer told him shakily. "Thank you sir."

Walking quickly, Latimer made his way to the hall. He quickly ran up the stairs to the dorms. Sitting on his bed, he took the watch out again. He once again opened the watch and this time the voices were louder.

"You are not alone…keep me hidden…"

Suddenly, his mind was assaulted by images. Daleks, Cybermen, Ood, a giant wolf creature, The Empress of the Racnoss, Lazarus, the Sycorax.

He quickly snapped the watch shut again.

* * *

Still outside, Baines sniffed again.

A teacher rang a hand bell, signaling the change of classes.

Baines made his way into a quiet corridor, stepping into a gap beneath the main stairs. Suddenly, his eyes rolled back in his head and a green glow surrounded him.

"There is a trace," he said softly, "but somehow scattered. The scent is confused. Nevertheless, we'd best arm ourselves."

The glow disappeared and Baines eyes rolled back.

"Activate the soldiers." he called.

* * *

The sound of gun shots rang out over the grounds and a dummy target exploded in a hail of bullets.

"Concentrate." John called to the boys.

The gun was being fired by Hutchinson with rounds being fed by Latimer.

"Hutchinson, excellent work!" John praised.

"Cease Fire!" a voice called and Hutchinson obeyed.

"Good day to you, headmaster." John said.

"Your crew's on fine form today, Mr. Smith." the Headmaster told him.

"Excuse me, Headmaster, we could do a lot better." Hutchinson said. "Latimer is being deliberately shoddy."

"I'm trying my best." Latimer protested.

"You need to be better than the best." the Headmaster told him. "Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent."

"That's exactly the problem, sir." Latimer replied. "They only have spears."

"Oh, dear me." the Headmater said. "Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realize how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you may have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself. Now, resume firing." he told them.

Hutchinson did so, Latimer feeding rounds again. But as the shots rang out, Latimer began to hear the sounds of a different sort of warfare. The sound of a bomb falling.

Two young soldiers struggle through the dark, one supporting the other, who is injured. The one supporting the other opens an old pocket watch. It's Latimer.

"One minute past the hour." he whispers to his companion. "It's now, Hutchinson, this is the time. It's now."

He looks up and he hears another bomb heading straight for them.

Latimer realized the gun had stopped firing.

"There's a stoppage, immediate action." Hutchinson said, turning to Latimer. "Didn't I tell you, sir?" he said turning to the Headmaster and John. "This stupid boy is useless! Permission to give Latimer a beating, sir?"

"It's your class, Mr. Smith." the Headmaster deferred.

"Permission granted." John said in a bored tone.

They watched as Hutchinson and the others dragged Latimer off. All of them except for Baines.

"Anything the matter, Baines?" John asked as the boy let out a large sniff.

"I thought…" Baines murmured. He shook his head. "No, sir. Nothing, sir."

Turning sharply, he headed off to join the beating.

"As you were, Mr. Smith." the Headmaster said before walking off.

"Ah…Pemberton, Smythe, Wicks." John called. "Take post."

As the boys took up positions at the gun, John spotted Joan watching them.

"Ah, Nurse Redfren." he called, walking up to her.

"Um…I'll give you back your journal when-" she stared, but was interrupted.

"Mr. Smith!" Martha called, running up to them.

"What is it, Martha?" John asked.

"It's Miss Lily, sir." she told him breathlessly. "She had gone to take a nap and when the gun fire started, I went to check on her. She's having a nightmare, sir, and I can't wake her."

"So?" Joan asked. "It's just a nightmare, it'll pass."

"I'm afraid I have to leave." John replied. "Lily's nightmares can turn dangerous, both for herself and for others."

"Well then, as I'm the school nurse, I should come with you." Joan replied. "Just in case."

"Fine." Martha said urgently. "Just hurry."

They followed her into the school and to the teacher's wing. As they were nearing the room, they heard a crash and John broke into a run, the two women following behind him.

As he ran into the room, he saw that the crash had been caused by a vase Lily had knocked off her night table as she thrashed in her bed.

"Lily!" he called, running to her side. He grabbed her arms and tried to hold her still as the two women watched. "Lily!" he called again. "You need to wake up now."

Lily continued to thrash. Martha began to worry as she glimpsed just the slightest hint of gold surrounding the thrashing woman.

"Lily." John said calmly. "Come on now, Lily girl. Wake for me, yeah? There's nothing here that can hurt you. It's just me, John. Come on. Wake up."

Suddenly her eyes opened and she threw herself away from him and off the bed. She huddled in the corner of the room, looking around her wildly. Finally her eyes landed on John and for a moment she looked surprised before she began to sob.

John moved around the bed and wrapped her in his arms.

"Shh." he said quietly as she continued to sob. "It's alright. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you. Not ever."

Joan watched them for a moment before turning around and walking out of the room. After a moment, Martha followed her out, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Outside, she found Joan waiting for her.

"He's in love with her, isn't he?" she demanded without preamble.

"I don't know what you're talking about, ma'am." Martha said, turning away, but Joan stopped her.

"Please, Martha." she pleaded. "I need to know. They're in love with each other, aren't they?"

Martha sighed.

"I don't know if love is the right word, ma'am." she said finally. "They need each other. It's like they're two parts of the same person. Two sides to the same coin." She sighed again. "And I don't think there's a person or thing in the whole universe that can keep them apart."

Joan nodded, looking sad.

"Please tell Mr. Smith that I will return his book tomorrow." she told Martha before walking off.

* * *

Back in the room, John had moved Lily back to her bed. He was sitting there quietly, Lily wrapped in his arms still, waiting for her sobs to subside.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked softly as she quieted.

She shook her head.

"I thought they were getting better." he told her. "You've only had two since we came here, and Martha was able to wake you from both of them."

"I just miss him." she whispered. "It's so quiet."

John assumed she meant his brother.

"I know, dear one, but he's dead." he told her softly. "He's not coming back."

"No!" Lily shouted, pulling away from him. The fictional James was not the one she was talking about. "Don't you dare say that. Don't you dare!"

She started crying again.

"I need him." she cried. "I need him so much it hurts."

John pulled her back to him and she went unresisting. It wasn't the Doctor holding her, but if she closed her eyes, she could pretend it was.

"I know you do." John said. "But sometimes we have to make do with what we have."

He kissed her forehead softly and pulled away, his eyes meeting hers. Before he could stop himself, he leaned down and kissed her lips.

Lily pulled away a moment later.

"No." she whispered, touching her lips and avoiding his eyes.

"I'm sorry." he said, pulling away. "I overstepped my bounds. I'm sorry."

"No." she said again, grabbing his arm and pulling him back down. "You didn't. I just…" she paused before taking a deep breath. "I need time. Please, can you give me that?"

"Of course." he said, touching her cheek. "As much as you need."

"Just till the end of this month." she told him. "Just wait until the we leave this place and then, if you still want this, want me, then ask again."

"Alright." he replied, confused, but willing to go along with what she wanted.

They sat there in silence for a few moments.

"I have a class I need to get back to." he told her softly, getting up from the bed.

"Yes, and I have a library to save from rowdy young men." she replied with a hint of a smile.

He made his way to the door and paused, his hand on the handle.

"I suppose this means you wouldn't want to accompany me to the dance tonight?" he asked her, turning back to face her.

Lily hesitated a moment before smiling gently.

"On the contrary." she told him. "I would love to come with you."

He smiled and nodded before opening the door and leaving.

The moment she felt he was far enough away, she leapt up and fixed her clothing and hair quickly before going off in search of Martha.

She found her friend in a nearby corridor, dusting.

"We've got a problem." she told her.

A/N: Third chapter done. SO, does John really care for Lily or is it residual feelings left from the Doctor? And will he choose to be with her when it's all over? Find out Next Time on Never Gonna Be Alone!

Question: Who is your favorite enemy from the new series?  
Answer: Hands down it's got to be the Master. He's just such a magnificent bastard! I mean singing and dancing while you destroy the world and make your arch rival watch? How do you get better than that?

Abbey


	55. Human Nature: Save the Watch

Disclaimer: My therapist is concerned by my sudden desire to destroy the world and tells me I should find a healthier expression for my frustration. I replied that she doesn't get a spot on the spaceship.

Ch. 55:

A half an hour later found Lily and Martha in the TARDIS's wardrobe, desperately searching for something for Lily to wear to the dance.

"So, let me get this straight." Martha said, collapsing in a chair nearby. "At last count we have at least three major problems."

She held up a finger and started counting them off.

"One: A strange green light in the sky. Two: Your watch giving you cryptic warnings, which it's never done before. And Three: John Smith, a character you created to take the Doctor's place, seems to have fallen in love with you." she said. "Did I miss anything?"

Lily poked her head out from behind a rack.

"Joan Redfern seems to have fallen for John. That could become problematic if she tries to fight for him, or some other fool thing." she called.

"Right, so four problems that could completely destroy everything." Martha replied. "We're dead."

"I said that from the beginning." Lily told her. "And I know the first two are the most important, but can I please freak out over the third for a little while?"

"Go right ahead." Martha said, standing again to help her look. "How 'bout this one?" she asked holding up a dress.

Lily took one look and shook her head.

"No, that's Dickensian." she told her. "Plus, Rose wore that dress on the first trip she ever took. I think you stumbled onto the 'don't ever wear again' rack. Is there a horrible, long scarf?"

"Yeah." Martha called back. "What makes something worthy of the 'don't ever wear again' rack?"

Lily walked over to join her.

"Mostly, they're old things the Doctor wore in previous incarnations." Lily told her. She pulled out a black leather jacket that had recently reappeared. "This was his previous incarnation's favorite. My original Doctor wore an identical one."

"So why is the dress here?" Martha asked.

"Because it was the first time the Doctor told Rose she was beautiful." Lily told her simply. "It's really here so no one else will wear it. She probably could have worn it again. Now this," She grabbed another dress off the rack. "How did this get here?" she asked.

The dress was the one she had worn to the Lazarus fiasco.

"This needs to go back to my room." Lily murmured to herself. She set it down nearby and went back to looking.

"This is hopeless." Martha complained. "There must be hundreds of dresses in here. We'll never find one in time."

"This would be so much easier if I could just talk to the TARDIS." Lily agreed.

"Well she can still hear you, right?" Martha asked, a plan forming. "Why don't you just asked for help? Even if she can't answer, she might still do it."

"Martha, you're a genius." Lily said hugging her.

She walked to the middle of the room.

"Okay, so I know you can't answer, but could you please move any dresses that might fit at a 1913 dance party to that rack there?" Lily asked, pointing. There was a blur and about thirty dresses appeared.

"Thanks so much, love." Lily called, moving towards the dresses. "So back to my original thought, what the hell?!" she asked. "How could he kiss me? I know the others were like life ending things but that's the one that's really going to screw me."

"Why?" Martha asked from the other end of the rack.

"Because I have only two options." Lily told her. "Either I let him go on thinking I have feelings for him and then have to have a very awkward conversation with the Doctor, or I tell him I don't and risk a fiasco involving Joan. I mean how did he even develop feelings for me? I so didn't write that into his personality."

"Maybe it was there already." Martha said slyly.

Lily stopped what she was doing to face her friend.

"What do you mean?" she asked her.

"Well," Martha replied slowly, "some things of the Doctor remain right? His love of history, stuff like that. I mean you still have aspects of your Time Lord personality, right?"

"Yeah, my love of music, my need to roam, stuff like that, but what does that have to do with the human John falling for me?" Lily asked her.

"Maybe the feelings were already there and they transferred over." Martha told her.

Lily stared at her.

"No." she stated. "No. Cause that would mean….no. Cause, see, the Doctor loves Rose. He will always love her. And I love the other Doctor." Lily stuttered.

"You haven't noticed how you stopped calling him 'my Doctor' and changed to 'the other Doctor' in the last few months?" Martha asked her.

"That's…that's totally not the point." Lily said, turning once more to the dresses.

"Lily." Martha said, making her turn back to face her. "It's alright to admit you like him."

"But…" Lily started, but trailed off.

"But what?" Martha asked.

"I thought that you…" she trailed off again.

"I do." Martha told her softly. "But you and him have a connection I'll never have." She held up her hand to stop Lily from talking. "I'm not just talking about your mind bond thing. You have a shared history, a shared loss, a shared pain. You need each other, so it makes sense that your feelings for one another would run deep. That's my point. Maybe John loves you because that's the way a human interprets what you feel for each other."

"But the Doctor doesn't love me." Lily protested weakly. "Not that way."

"Maybe not." Martha replied. "But, and keep in mind I'm not really sold on that by the way, he does love you. In his own way." She smiled at Lily. "Just like you love him."

Lily sat in a chair heavily.

"When did things get so complicated?" she asked.

"About two seconds after you were born." Martha replied with a grin. "Ah ha!" she pulled out a dress and showed it to Lily.

"Perfect." Lily replied with a smile.

* * *

Latimer sat toying with the watch as he sat on a bench.

"The darkness is coming…" the voice whispered. "Keep me away from the force and empty man…find the firebird…mate…last of the Time Lords, the last of a wise and ancient race…find her…she'll protect us…"

Latimer saw Baines heading across the grounds to join a man from town, Mr. Clarke. A second later a young girl with a red balloon joined them. As one they turned to watch him. They all tilted their heads and sniffed deeply.

* * *

"Lily, are you ready?" John called through the door.

"Yeah, yeah, just calm down." Lily called back, making the final adjustments. Her hand went to rest where the Firepoint usually sat. It had been three long months since it had been there, but tonight, she found she missed it more than ever.

She opened the door to find John in his best suit, staring at her.

"What?" she asked, defensively.

He shook his head.

"Nothing." he told her. "It's just…you look wonderful."

"We still have a little while before we have to be there, and I'm not quite ready yet." Lily said, motioning him in.

John walked in and stood awkwardly as Lily sat back down in front of the mirror. Seeing him in the reflection, she turned back with a sigh.

"Will you sit down?" she asked. "You're making me nervous."

He chuckled and did as she asked.

As she turned back, her watch caught her eye.

"Danger…" it whispered again. "Find him…protect him…"

"Um, actually, could we go to your room?" Lily asked him suddenly, picking up the watch and slipping it into the front of her dress.

"What for?" John asked her.

"I think I left a book there and I want to go find it." she told him, coming up with the flimsy lie on the spot.

"Now?" he asked.

She nodded.

"If I don't find it, I'll just think about it all night." she told him, moving to the door. "I just want to set my mind to rest."

"As you wish." John said as he followed her out.

* * *

Martha smiled as Jenny walked in.

"There you are!" she called. "Come and look what I've got. Mr. Poole didn't want his afternoon tea, so cook said I could have it. And there's enough for two."

Jenny remained motionless in the doorway.

"What are you standing there for?" Martha asked her.

Jenny sniffed loudly.

"Are you alright?" Martha asked.

"I must have a cold coming on." Jenny answered stiffly, joining Martha at the table.

"Problem is," Martha told her continuing a conversation from earlier, "I keep thinking about it, but I don't know what to tell her."

"Thinking about what?" Jenny asked.

"Mr. Smith and Miss Lily." Martha replied. "Because she doesn't think she feels the same way, but she doesn't want to break his heart. And then we're leaving in a few weeks still."

"Why?" Jenny asked her.

"It's like his contract comes to an end." Martha told her. "And it'll cause problems if they can't be around one another."

"Leave for where?" Jenny asked her.

"All sorts of places." she replied. "I wish I could tell you Jenny, but it's complicated."

"In what way?" Jenny asked.

"I just can't." Martha repeated.

"It sounds so interesting." Jenny said. "Tell me. Tell me now."

Martha knew something wasn't right with Jenny. Frowning, she changed the subject.

"Would you like some tea?" Martha asked her.

"Yes, thanks." she replied.

"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot." Martha told her. "And some mutton. Or sardines and jam, how about that?"

"I like the sound of that." Jenny replied.

Now Martha was sure something was seriously wrong.

"Right…" she said slowly. "Hold on a tick."

She got up calmly and walked out the door. The moment it was shut, Martha was running out of the building and to the school. To Lily and John.

* * *

She burst through the door to find Lily and John talking urgently.

"But I could have sworn-" Lily was saying.

"They've found us." Martha told her swiftly.

"What?" Lily breathed, but before she could say anything else, John butted in.

"Martha, I've warned you." he told her.

"They've found us." Martha told Lily, ignoring John. "And I've seen them-they look like people, like us, like normal."

"John, Martha isn't feeling well." Lily said, turning to him. "Let me deal with this quickly before we leave."

Without another word, she grabbed Martha's hand and dragged her outside.

"What are you doing?" Martha demanded.

"The watch is gone." Lily told her.

"What?" Martha gasped. "How?"

"I don't know, but we've got to keep the ruse going." Lily told her. "Until we find the watch, he's got to believe he's John Smith. Now I'm going to take him to the dance, and you," Lily reached into her dress and pulled out her watch, "you're going to take this."

Lily put it in Martha's hand while she stared at her.

"Why?" she demanded. "This is you, why are you giving me this?"

"There was a reason I couldn't keep the watch." Lily told her. "My watch recognizes his watch as it's other half. They call to each other." Lily looked at her very seriously. "When you're near his watch, this watch will start to glow. In our hands, mine or John's, they would open if they were brought together, and nothing could stop it. You're the only one who can hold both and not cause them to open of their own free will, do you understand?"

"I think so." Martha told her.

"When you find the other one, bring it to me at the dance and we'll go from there." Lily said, before walking back inside.

"I'm sorry." Lily told John. "She had told me earlier she wasn't feeling well and I ignored her. She has a high fever and she was imagining things."

"Should we call a doctor?" John asked her.

Lily shook her head.

"I laid her down in my room." she told him. "She just needs some rest."

"Well then." John said, handing Lily her coat. "Shall we go then?"

* * *

The moment Lily was through the door, Martha slipped the watch in her pocket. There was something they were probably going to need also.

She took off at a run. What they needed was in the TARDIS and they didn't have much time.

She ran into Latimer on her way out.

"Oh, sorry!" she called.

As Martha hit him, Latimer saw Martha bump in to in a different time in a different place.

"Mate…" the watch whispered. "Firebird…"

"Martha?" Latimer called.

"Not now Tim." Martha called back. "Busy!"

"But I think you're looking for this!" He called making her stop.

She turned and saw that he was holding the Doctor's watch.

"How did you get that?" Martha demanded.

"It said I should take it to it's mate. Someone called the Firebird." Latimer told her. "It said she would keep us save. And then it called out for her when you passed. Are you the Firebird?"

"Phoenix." Martha whispered. "It's calling for Lily."

"Miss Lily, Mr. Smith's sister?" Latimer asked.

"She's not really his sister, and I'm not the one your looking for, but I don't have time to explain." Martha told him quickly. "I just need you to trust me, can you do that?" she asked him.

"Trust…" the watch whispered. "She will lead you…follow…"

"It says I should." Latimer told her. "So I will."

"Good lad." she said. "Come on, we haven't got a lot of time."

She took off running again and he followed after.

She led him to the shed where the TARDIS was hiding.

"Tim, I need you to stay here." she told him. "If anything happens, come inside and just start calling for me, otherwise, you need to stay here."

With that she disappeared inside, leaving him alone.

* * *

Martha ran inside and straight to the Doctor's coat. She began going through all the pockets, looking for something.

* * *

"Spare a penny for the veterans of Crimea, sir?" a man asked as Lily and John approached the dance.

"Yes, of course." John replied, digging in his pocket for some coins. "There you are."

Lily and John made their way inside.

"Would you like to dance?" John asked her.

Lily smiled.

"Actually, could you get something to drink?" she asked him. "The walk over here has made me parched."

"Of course." he said, leading her to a table. "Sit and I will bring it right away."

He walked off and Lily sighed.

"Come on Martha." she whispered.

She didn't notice the little girl watching them.

* * *

"Oh, staff entrance I think, miss!" the man called as Martha and Tim ran up to the dance hall.

"Yeah, well think again mate." she said, pushing past him and Tim following.

She entered the hall and immediately spotted Lily and quickly walked up to her.

"Did you find it?" Lily asked urgently. "And what are you doing with Latimer?"

"It seems the Doctor decided to hide out in the pocket of a school boy." Martha told her.

"Tim, do you have a certain watch?" Lily asked him.

"It told me to take it, miss." Latimer told her. "Then it told me to find it's mate, a woman it called the Firebird."

Lily laughed to herself.

"Always making things harder than they need to be, aren't you Doctor?" she whispered. "I'm the Firebird, Tim." She told him. "One of my names is the Dark Phoenix."

"He said you would keep us safe." Tim told her.

Lily reached out and rested her hand on his cheek.

"I will Tim." she told him. "I'll keep you both safe."

Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out the watch.

"Then I believe this belongs to you." he said, holding it out to her.

As it came closer, it began to glow faintly.

"No it doesn't." Lily told him, backing away slightly. "It belongs to a great man."

She held out her hand to Martha.

"Give me mine." she told her. "And then take the Doctor's. It's your job to protect it."

Martha did as she said, setting Lily's watch in her hand and taking the Doctor's and slipping it in her pocket.

"I also went and got this." Martha told her, pulling out the sonic screwdriver.

"Now see here," John said coming up behind them. "I thought you were sick, Martha. And what do you think you're doing here, Latimer?"

"John, we have to leave." Lily told him. "Now."

"What are you talking about?" John demanded. "You know I put up with quite a bit from you, but-"

Suddenly, someone screamed as Mr. Clarke came in holding a gun in his hand.

"There will be silence!" he called. "All of you!"

Baines and Jenny walked in followed by animated scarecrows.

"I said silence!" he called again.

"Mr. Clarke!" a man yelled. "What's going on?"

Mr. Clarke turned and fired, dissolving him on the spot.

"Damn it." Lily muttered. "Tim, I'm going to trust you." she whispered to him. "Because the Doctor trusted you."

She quickly handed him her watch.

"When I give you the signal, I need you to open this." she told him urgently. "Just for a moment. Then close it. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Miss Lily." he told her.

"Good. Now try to get as far away from us as you can without attracting attention." she told him.

He nodded and began to inch away from them slowly.

"What is going on?" John demanded in a whisper.

"Just…" Lily trailed off. "Trust me." she finally finished.

"We asked for silence!" Baines called. "Now then. We have a few questions for Mr. Smith."

"No, better than that." the little girl called, walking over to join them. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."

"You took human form." Baines said, looking him over.

"Of course I'm human, I was born human!" John told him. "As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr. Clarke! What is going on? This is madness!"

"And a human brain, too!" Baines said. "Simple, thick, and dull."

"He's no good like this." Jenny said.

"We need a Time Lord." Mr. Clarke agreed.

"Easily done." Baines said, walking forward and pointing a gun at John's head. "Change back." he ordered.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John told them.

"Change back!" Baines ordered again.

"I literally do not know-" John ordered, but broke off when Jenny grabbed Martha, holding a gun to her head.

"Get off me!" Martha shouted, struggling.

"She's your friend, isn't she?" Jenny addressed John, ignoring Martha. "Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"

"I don't know what you mean!" John insisted.

"Wait a minute…" Jenny said. "The maid told me about Smith and that girl there."

"Let's have you!" Clarke said, grabbing Lily and pulling her along.

"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor?" Baines asked. "Being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Librarian? Your friend-or your lover? Your choice."

A/N: Human Nature is done! Family of Blood is next. To see an idea of what Lily's dress looks like, check my profile. And while you're there, don't forget to take the poll. Tell me who you think River Song is in this universe!

Question: Just out of curiosity, how many of you are Team Rose and how many are Team Martha?  
Answer: Please don't hate me or stop reading if you don't agree, but I've got to say Team Rose. I love Martha, but she never really stood up to the Doctor. And I think he really needs someone who will. Which is why I loved Rose and why I'm already in love with Amy.

Abbey


	56. Family of Blood: Listen to Me!

Disclaimer: Okay, since I've run the course on the Negotiation Disclaimers, I need something new. Ideas? Also I don't own DW.

Ch. 56:

"Your choice." Baines told him.

"Oh thank god." Lily breathed. "Do you know what I've had to put up with while hiding from you morons?" she asked, addressing the family.

"What are you talking about?" Clarke demanded.

"I'm seriously." Lily continued. "I've deal with men who are only marginally smarter than slugs who think they're better than me, one of my best friends has been stuck in a demeaning job that she is way over qualified for, and my other is stuck as that moron." She told them, pointing to John. "Plus, have any of you ever tried to wear a corset? I'm absolutely certain that the person who came up with them must have been a man, because no woman would put another through that kind of torture."

"Silence." Clarke demanded.

"You know what?" she shot back. "Bite me! No, wait, you might actually. So, how 'bout screw you? You hounded our asses across time and space and when we went to ground in freaking 1913, you still hunted us. If you had had even a shred of intelligence between the four of you, you would have given up."

"We are hungry." Baines growled.

"Yeah, well try restraint." Lily sneered. "Because you should have run the opposite direction from us."

Seeing that Latimer was fairly far away from John now, Lily continued on with her really bad plan.

"Hey, Martha." she called.

"Yeah?" Martha called back, confused.

"Remember that move I showed you a few months ago?" Lily asked.

"Yeah." Martha replied.

"Wanna give a demonstration?" Lily asked, glancing at Latimer.

"Sure." Martha replied, catching her glance.

"Now…" Lily's watch whispered to Latimer.

He pressed the clasp.

"TIME LORD…" the watch called in a hushed tone.

"It's him!" Baines shouted.

Martha and Lily both pounced on the distraction. Lily flipped Clarke over her hip, finishing up with a kick to the head to knock him unconscious, while Martha twisted around so that she now had Jenny at gun point.

"One more move and I shoot." she told them.

"Oh, the maid is full of fire!" Baines laughed.

"You better bet she is." Lily said walking over to Martha.

"And you can shut up." Martha finished, firing the gun into the ceiling.

"Careful, Son of Mine." Clarke said, getting up from the floor and wiping blood from his face.

"Oh, come on." Lily moaned. "That should have kept you down for at least another couple minutes."

Clarke ignored her.

"This is all for you, so that you can live for ever." he told Baines.

"I'll shoot you down!" Baines told Martha.

"Try it." Lily told him. "We'll die together."

"Would you really pull the trigger?" he asked Martha. "Looks too scared."

"Scared and holding a gun." Martha replied. "It's a good combination. You wanna risk it?"

Baines glanced at John before lowering his gun.

"John." Lily called over her shoulder. "Get everyone out. There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go."

John stood there, indecisive.

"Do it." she ordered. "Everyone get out!"

The villagers did as she said, running, screaming, out the door, leaving only John and Latimer.

"Tim, go with John." Lily told him.

"What about you two?" Tim asked.

"We can handle ourselves." Lily told him with a smile. "Go."

He headed to the door, but John didn't move.

"John." Lily said seriously. "Go. Don't make me ask again."

He stared a second longer before turning and following Latimer.

Outside, John finally seemed to come to his senses.

"Mr. Hicks, go to the village." he ordered. "Get everyone out. Latimer, get back to the school. Tell the headmaster-"

"No." Latimer told him. "Miss Lily told me to stay with you and that's what I'm going to do."

* * *

Martha pushed Jenny away and pointed her gun at Baines.

"Don't try anything." Martha warned. "I'm warning you, or sonny boy gets it."

"She's almost brave, this one." Baines said, the family slowly advancing.

Lily stood her ground.

"You really should have run." she told them sadly. "I spared your lives because the Doctor asked me to, but you've threatened people he cares about. When he wakes up, and I assure you he will, he's going to be very angry. And if there is one thing in this universe you don't want to do, it's make the Doctor angry."

"I should have take her form." Jenny said. "Much more fun. So much spirit."

"What happened to Jenny?" Martha demanded. "Is she gone?"

"She is consumed." Jenny replied, or more accurately the Mother. "Her body's mine."

"You mean she's dead." Martha said.

"Yes." the Mother replied. "And she went with precious little dignity. All that-ah-screaming."

Suddenly a scarecrow grabbed Martha from behind, knocking Lily away.

"Get the gun!" Baines yelled.

Martha ducked under the scarecrow's arm, grabbed Lily's arm and they ran.

Outside they found John and Latimer waiting.

"Why are you two idiots still here?" Lily yelled. "Run! My god, you make a crappy human." she told the Doctor.

She didn't' even stop running as she grabbed his arm and pulled him along, Martha and Latimer following after.

* * *

A little while later they arrived at the school completely out of breath. John closed the heavy wooden doors behind them and began to ring a bell.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Lily demanded, grabbing his hand.

He shook her off and continued.

"Maybe one man can't fight them," he told her, "but this school teaches us to stand together."

"You're an idiot!" Lily yelled, but John ignored her.

"Listen to me," she insisted. "Everything you dreamed, everything about the Doctor, it's all true. I need you to believe me."

"Take arms!" he shouted. "Take arms!"

"You can't do that!" Martha implored.

"John, I need you to do what I tell you." Lily shouted. "I need you to become the man you really are! I need you to help me to fight them!"

"You want me to fight?" he asked. "Take arms! Take arms!"

"I say sir, what's the matter?" Hutchinson asked.

"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson." John told him. "Enemy at the door. Take arms!"

"You dumbass." Lily growled. "You let them out there and you're sending them to their death."

He ignored her and kept rousing the school.

"He's useless." Lily growled, dragging Martha a little ways away. "Help me with this." she told her, pointing to the buttons on her dressed.

Martha was confused, but complied.

Lily let the dress drop and Martha saw that she was wearing skinny jeans under her dress tucked into her boots.

"Have you been wearing those all these months?" Martha demanded.

"Of course." Lily replied, looking around. "I need a jacket."

"Why, you don't think the corset is a fashion statement?" Martha asked sarcastically.

"Of course, but it's kinda cold, don't you think?" Lily replied with a grin. She stalked back to the hall and grabbed John by the collar, quickly getting him out of his coat.

"What do you think you're doing?" John demanded.

"I think I'm taking your coat." she told him, slipping it on and buttoning it up. "Now, we need you to open a watch."

She took his hand but he pulled away.

"I don't know what's wrong with you." he told her, before turning away, leaving her gob smacked.

"I think I may have done too good a job making him human." Lily muttered.

"You can't do this!" Martha called after him.

"Maintain positions over the stable yard." John shouted to the boys.

"They are just boys!" Lily said, catching up to him. "You can not ask them to fight!"

"Faster now!" John yelled. "That's it."

Lily grabbed his arm and made him face her.

"Do you not get it?" she demanded. "They will die. They don't stand a chance against what's out there!"

"They're cadets, woman." he told her. Lily took a step back as if she had been slapped. "They are trained to defend the King and all his properties."

Lily stared at him as the Headmaster came running into the room.

"What in thunder's name is this?" he demanded. "Before I devise an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?"

"Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack." John told him.

"Really?" the Headmaster asked. "Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."

"I promise you, sir." John stressed. "I was in the village with…Miss Lily. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mr. Clarke from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen."

"Miss Lily, is that so?" he asked her.

Martha was whispering to her urgently.

Lily opened her mouth and Martha started whispering again.

"Fine." she muttered. "Yes it's true. Which is why you should all stay right here and do nothing."

"I don't think so, young lady." the Headmaster told her, but before he could say anything else, the room went silent as Lily slammed him into a wall.

"If one more person dismisses me simply because I'm a woman," she growled, "I swear to god, I will drag John out of here and leave you all to die."

"Mr. Smith!" the Headmaster barked. "Please get control of your sister in law."

John came forward and literally dragged her off of the headmaster and then proceeded to shove her to Martha.

"Now," the headmaster said, straightening his clothes, "how do we know they're coming here?"

"They threatened me, sir." John told him. "They said they'd follow me. I don't know why."

"Because they are hunting him." Lily butted in. "Both of us. Which is why John and I should get as far away from here as possible."

"Mrs. Smith-" the headmaster started, but Lily interrupted him.

"It's Carter!" she yelled. "Lily Carter! And if you let those boys out there they will be slaughtered. Pure and simple!"

Martha dragged Lily to the other room.

"We can't stop them." she told her as Lily fought to go back. "We need to come up with a plan to protect them."

"How?" Lily demanded. "I'm powerless. And try as I might, I am not the Doctor."

She watched through a window as the boys were led outside, John right up front.

"I can't stop him." Lily whispered. "We were supposed to stop him from hurting anyone. How are we supposed to do that if he won't listen?"

She turned back to Martha.

"Go find Latimer." she told her.

"What are you going to do?" Martha asked her.

Lily pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'm going to go try to reason with the Family of Blood." she told her. "God help me."

* * *

"Headmaster, sir." Baines called. "Good evening sir. Come to give me a caning, sir? Would you like that, sir?"

"Keep a civil tongue, boy." the Headmaster replied.

"Now-come now everyone." Another teacher called. "I suspect alcohol has played its part in this. Let's all just calm down. And who are these friends of yours, Baines?" he asked, motioning to the scarecrows. "In fancy dress."

"Do you like them, Mr. Phillips?" Baines called. "I made them myself. I'm ever so good at science, sir." he said as he walk to one. "Look-" he pulled the arm off, "-molecular fringe animation fashioned in the shape of straw me. My own private army, sir. Ever so good, sir."

"Baines, step apart from this company and come inside with me." the Headmaster

"No, sir." Baines replied. "You, sir-You!-will send us Mr. John Smith and his mate. That's all we want, sir, Mr. John Smith, and whatever he's done with his Time Lord consciousness and whatever he's done with his mate's vortex powers. Then we'd be very happy to leave you alone."

"You speak with someone else's voice, Baines." the Headmaster said. "Who might that be?"

"We are the Family of Blood." Baines replied.

"Mr. Smith said there had been deaths." he called again.

"Yes, sir!" Baines called back. "And they were good, sir!"

"But they weren't what you needed were they?" a voice called.

They all tuned to find Lily leaning against a nearby wall.

"Human life is so fragile." Lily said. "That's why you can't feed off it. But the life of a Time Lord? Oooh. That would keep you alive forever."

"So give it to us and we will leave." Baines called.

"Yeah, no." Lily replied. "See, I've been striped of my powers. Chemically stripped. And I sure as hell not going to give you the Doctor. It's a pet peeve, I know, but I prefer my mate to be living." She sauntered up to the end of the lines. "But here's what I will do. I'll have my powers back soon, so I'll give you till then to get off this planet."

Baines laughed. He raised his gun and fired on Mr. Phillips.

Lily looked at the ashes for a moment before raising her eyes back to Baines.

"I take it that's a no?"

He smiled and she nodded.

"Yeah, I thought so." Lily muttered.

"Run along, headmaster." Baines called. "Run back to the school, and send us Mr. Smith!"

The headmaster turned on his heel and stalked up to the school.

Lily stared at the family for a moment before following him up.

* * *

Martha was searching the school for Latimer when she ran into Joan.

"What are you doing?" Joan demanded.

"I need to find Latimer." Martha told her, moving past her. "He's got something I need."

"What?" Joan pushed following after her.

"A watch." Martha replied.

"What's so important about a watch?" she asked.

"Ok, look." Martha said, stopping and turning back to face her. "I know it sounds mad, but The Doctor, the one you read about? He's real. He's who John Smith really is. Both he and Lily are aliens, but the alien parts of them are stored in these watches. Well it's not really a watch, it just looks like a watch. Latimer's got Lily's and I need to get it back."

"And alien means…not from abroad, I take it." Joan said, following her again.

"The man you call John Smith…he was born in another world." Martha told her.

"A different species." Joan said.

"Yeah." Martha replied, looking desperately for Latimer.

"Then tell me, in this fairy tale…who are you? Who is Lily?" Joan asked.

"I'm just a friend." Martha told her. "Lily's his mate."

"What's the difference?" Joan asked.

Martha sighed.

"When I say mate, I don't mean friend. I mean like soul mate, mate." she told her.

"You're human, I take it?" Joan asked her.

"Human, don't worry." Martha told her with a smile. "And more than that. I don't just follow him around. I'm training to be a doctor-not an alien doctor-a proper doctor, a doctor of medicine."

"Well that's certainly is nonsense." Joan told her. "Women might train to be doctors, but hardly a skivvy and hardly one of your color."

"Oh, d'you think?" Martha said, rounding on her. "Bones of the hand:" she held up her left hand an pointed to each one in turn, "Carpal bones, proximal row; scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform. Distal row; trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate. Then the metecarpal bones extending in three distinct phalanges; proximal, middle, distal."

"You read that in a book." Joan accused.

"Yes, to pass my exams." Martha told her with a laugh. "Can't you see this is true?"

"I must go." Joan said, turning around.

"If we find Latimer, Lily might be able to stop them." Martha said.

"Those boys are going to fight." Joan told her. "I might not be a doctor, but I'm still their nurse. They need me."

With that, she walked away and Martha continued searching for Latimer.

A/N: First chapter of Family of Blood. As you can tell, this diverging pretty far from the original. Because of this, these may take longer. Mainly because I have to figure out exactly how to fit my parts into the existing parts. To talk about the chapter for a minute, you may have noticed that Lily is acting more like the Doctor than before. How will that affect convincing John to open the watch? And will she actually be able to pull off acting like the Doctor long enough to save them?

Question: How many of you, after only seeing one episode with him in it, already want to drop Rory off a bridge?  
Answer: I'm all for it. I'm quickly becoming a huge Amy/Doctor fan girl. Already planning a sequel to these stories where Lily and the Doctor meet Amy and the Doctor. (F.Y.I: Lily's going to love her.)

Abbey


	57. Family of Blood: Help Me!

Disclaimer: So the Doctor and I were talking and he was all like "This whole thing about the BBC holding the rights to my life is, like, so totally wacked." and I was like, "I know! You should totally, like, give it to me!".

Ch. 57:

"JOHN!" Lily yelled as she walked into a room after him. Inside the room was Joan, now in uniform, and two boys.

"Joan, no." Lily said, walking up to her. "Please don't do this. Those people out there are dangerous. They won't hesitate to kill you, even if you are a nurse. Please just stay inside."

"I'm doing my duty." Joan told her.

"What is it with you people?" Lily demanded. "Does doing your duty mean you have to die, cause that's what's going to happen."

"They need me." Joan said simply before leaving John and Lily alone.

"John, please." Lily pleaded. "Just listen to me for five minutes."

"What do you have to say?" John demanded. "What could possibly have to say? The whole world's gone mad, you included!"

"I haven't gone mad." Lily told him. "I've been hiding. This is me. The real me. I'm Lily Carter. I was born on a planet called Gallifrey, in another universe. I was sent here to keep me safe, where I was taken in by the Doctor. And I need you to believe me because I can't do this on my own. I need the Doctor to tell me what to do. I need him to fight at my side."

John grabbed her quickly and kissed her.

"Stop." she said, pushing him off.

"Is that a lie?" John demanded. "What I felt for you, wasn't it real?"

"Yes." Lily whispered. "I didn't create you with those feelings. You somehow evolved on your own."

"But this Doctor sounds like some…some romantic lost prince." John said. "Would you rather that? Am I not enough?"

"No." Lily whispered. "You're not."

John let go of her and backed away.

"The Doctor…"Lily tried to explain, "he's my mate. We have a mental bond. We literally live inside each other's head. And without him…I'm not complete." She chuckled sadly. "In the past I would have said I was completely lost, but that is one of the best things about him. He took me in and he made me better. He taught me that I don't need someone else to tell me who to be and what to do. But on occasion it is nice."

"I've got to go." John told her.

"Just, please," Lily begged. "Come with me to find Martha and Latimer. We can end this all if you just open the watch!"

"No." he answered.

He left, leaving her standing alone.

* * *

Latimer was in the lines, helping Hutchinson.

"Get those bags piled up, filth." Hutchinson told him. "Gonna mean the difference between life and death for us."

"Not for you and me." Latimer told him.

"What are you babbling about?" Hutchinson demanded.

"We're going to battle together." Latimer told him. In his mind he saw a vision of the two of them in the trenches of WWI. "We fight alongside. I've seen it. Not here, not now." he told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hutchinson asked.

"It means you and I both survive this." Latimer replied. "And maybe…" he reached into his pocket and pulled out Lily's watch. "I'm sorry, but this isn't where I need to be."

"Latimer, you filthy coward!" Hutchinson called after him as he ran off.

"Oh yes, sir!" Latimer called back. "Every time!"

Latimer made his way to an empty hallway and sat down, staring at the pocket watch.

"What do I do?" he asked it. "What do I do? What do I do?"

"Beware…" the watch whispered.

"Beware of what?" he asked.

"Her." was the watch's answer.

Latimer looked up to see the little girl standing at the opposite end of the hall. He stood and faced her, hiding the watch.

"Tim!" Martha called, running up behind him. "I've been looking everywhere for you. We need to get that watch back to Lily."

"Keep away." Latimer said, talking to the little girl.

"What are you-" Martha broke off when she saw the girl.

"Who are you?" the little girl demanded.

"I saw you at the dance." Martha said. "You were with the Family. You're one of them."

"What are you hiding, boy?" the girl demanded.

"Nothing." Latimer said, holding the watch tightly.

He held it out to Martha behind his back, with his other palm open, hoping she understood. He breathed a sigh of relief as she took Lily's watch and put the Doctor's in his hand.

"What have you got there?" the girl demanded again.

"Nothing." Latimer repeated.

"Show me, little boy." the girl ordered.

"I reckon whatever you are," Latimer told her, "you're still in the shape of a girl. How strong is she, do you thing? Does she really want to see this?"

He clicked open the watch, pointing it in her direction, sharing the Doctor's memories of what he did to the Racnoss. The girl turned and ran off.

"Good job, Tim." Martha said. "Now lets get back to Lily."

* * *

Baines and Jenny, who had seen everything through their link to the little girl, now knew what they needed. They began the attack on the school.

* * *

The boys and men all stood with their guns, John included.

"Stand to!" the Headmaster called.

The scarecrows began pounding on the courtyard doors.

"At post!" the Headmaster yelled.

They all aimed their guns at the door.

"Enemy approaching, sir." a boy called.

"Steady!" the Headmaster replied. "Find the biting point!"

The wood bar across the gate cracked in half and the scarecrows came pouring in.

"Fire!" the Headmaster ordered.

Everyone fired, except one. John never even made a motion to comply.

"Cease fire!" the Headmaster called, walking to the fallen bodies. "They're straw. Like he said. Straw!"

Footsteps were heard and the Headmaster headed back behind their lines.

* * *

Lily was watching from a window with Joan.

"Lily!"

She turned to find Martha and Latimer running up to them.

"Have you got it?" she demanded.

Martha held out her watch and Lily took it with a relieved sigh.

"Lily, they're inside." Martha told her.

"What?" Lily demanded.

"The little girl, she was inside the school." Martha told her.

Lily quickly turned around to see the little girl walking between the two lines. Without a word, she took off.

"Headmaster, please." she called as she ran out the doors, Martha, Joan, and Latimer following. "Don't go near her."

"You were told to be quiet." the Headmaster replied shortly.

"You stupid, stupid man!" Lily yelled. "You don't believe me? Fine. Latimer, tell him."

"It's true." Latimer told him. "She was with the others in the village."

"John." Lily said. "Tell him."

"Latimer is correct, headmaster." John said grudgingly. "She was with Baines."

"Mr. Smith, I've seen many strange sights this night, but there is no cause on God's Earth that would allow me to see this child in the field of battle, sir." he told John. "Come with me." he told her.

"You're funny." she replied.

"That's right." he told her. "Now take my hand."

"So funny." she repeated. She reached into her coat and pulled out a gun, shooting the Headmaster. "Now, who's going to shoot me-any of you, really?"

"Put down your guns." John ordered the boys, lowering his own rifle.

"But sir, the Headmaster-" Hutchinson protested, but John cut him off.

"I'll not see this happen." he told him. "Not anymore. You will retreat…in an orderly fashion back through the school. Hutchinson, lead the way." he ordered.

"But, sir-" he tried to protest again.

"I said, lead the way." John told him.

"Go on, then, run!" Baines yelled, firing his gun in the air.

The boys retreated, although orderly was not the word Lily would have used. Mass chaos was more like it.

"Come on!" Martha yelled.

"Reanimate!" Baines yelled.

The scarecrows they had shot down suddenly got back up. They chased the boys through the school and into a passage through the stables.

"Let's go!" John shouted to the boys. "Quick as you can!"

"Don't go to the village!" Lily yelled. "It's not safe."

"And you, ladies!" John told them.

"You're practically useless." Lily told him. "Like I'm leaving you alone."

She turned to Martha.

"Take Latimer to the TARDIS." Lily ordered her.

"But-" Martha tried to protest.

"We'll meet you there." Lily told her, hugging her tightly. "Keep the Doctor safe."

Martha nodded and led Latimer out.

"Joan, you should go with the boys." Lily told her. "Keep them safe."

"No." Joan told her. "I'm staying with you. If only to make sure you don't make him do anything he doesn't want to."

"Oh for the love of god." Lily moaned. "Fine. You wanna stay? Fine!"

She led them through the passage.

* * *

Martha and Latimer ran, but then they noticed that some of the boys had been captured.

"One of these boys has got the watch." they heard Jenny say from where they were hiding. "This one?" she asked, dragging one boy in front of the little girl.

"No." she replied.

"This one?" Baines asked.

"No." she answered.

"This one?" Jenny asked, dragging another boy forward.

"No." the little girl answered.

The scarecrows came forward, dragging Hutchinson.

"Let go!" he yelled. "I said get off me!"

Baines grabbed his arm.

"Ah! This one?" he asked. "Is that him?"

"No." the little girl replied.

"Right." Baines said, sounding disappointed. "Kill this lot."

They raised their weapons, but Martha clicked open the watch for a moment.

"Lord of Time..." it called.

She quickly closed it.

"That's him." Baines whispered.

Martha and Latimer quickly ran as the boys escaped in the confusion.

A/N: I think Lily is about ready to kill John and deal with the consequences later, don't you? Anyway, second chapter done. Tell me what you think?

Question: So, those of us who are watching on the British schedule learned a little more about River Song this week. What are your theories, if you have one?  
Answer: I don't really have any new theories, but I do have a few musings. Like maybe she's just insane? Cause that would be kind of nice. Then we could just have her committed. See, the River Song problem, all taken care of.

Abbey


	58. Family of Blood: Follow Me!

Disclaimer: So it seems the BBC wasn't impressed with my three dollars I sent them to buy Doctor Who. Don't worry, that was just my opening offer. I'm fully ready to go up to twenty. Just don't tell them that.

Ch. 58:

Lily led John and Joan through the woods near the school.

"Doctor!" a sing-song voice called. "Doctor!"

Lily stopped and looked around. She spotted Mr. Clarke standing nearby.

"No." she growled, lunging forward, but John held her back.

Sitting behind Mr. Clarke was the TARDIS.

"Come back, Doctor!" Clarke called. "Come home. Come and claim your prize."

"Out you come, Doctor!" Baines called. "There's a good boy. Come to the Family."

"Time to end it now!" Jenny added.

But Lily wasn't paying attention. She was watching John stare at the TARDIS.

"You recognize it, don't you?" she asked softly.

"Come out, Doctor!" Jenny called. "Come to us!"

"I've never seen it in my life." John replied.

"Do you remember it's name?" Lily pushed.

"I'm sorry, John," Joan said softly, "but you wrote about it. The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box."

"I'm not-I'm John Smith." John said, his voice breaking. "That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life…and his job…and his love. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"

"Yes." Lily answered, softly. "Yes he is."

"Why can't I stay?" he asked her.

"Because we need the Doctor." Lily answered harshly. "Because I need him."

"So what am I then, nothing?" he asked her. "I'm just a story."

Without waiting for an answer, he took off, Joan following after. Lily waited a moment for a moment before following.

* * *

Martha and Latimer saw the Family surrounding the TARDIS.

"What do we do now?" Latimer asked her.

"Just…let me think for a moment." Martha replied.

She sat there for a moment and then felt for the watch in her pocket.

"Doctor, if you can hear me," she whispered, "please can you lead us to Lily?"

She pointed it in different directions, noticing that it seemed to glow slightly when it was pointed right.

"Thank you." she whispered. "Come on, Tim."

* * *

"This way." Joan said as they reached a fork in the road. "I think I know somewhere we can hide."

"We've got to keep going." John replied.

"Just," Lily insisted, "listen for once. Follow her."

Joan nodded at her and led her down the road, John following a moment after.

She led them to a dark house.

"Here we are." she said, breathing heavily. "It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far."

"But who lives here?" Lily asked her.

"If I'm right, no one." Joan replied.

She led them up to the house and through the front door. It was a simple cottage kitchen with a tea set on the table.

"Hello?" Joan called. "No one home. We should be safe here."

"Whoes house is it, though?" Lily asked.

"Um, the Cartwrights." Joan replied. "That little girl at the school-she's Lucy Cartwright, or she's taken Lucy Cartwright's form. If she came home this afternoon and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished." She put her hand on the teapot on the table. "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."

John sat down heavily in one of the chairs.

"I must go to them before anyone else dies." he told them.

"You can't." Joan said, sitting next to him. "Lily, there must be something we can do."

Lily shook her head.

"Not without his watch."

"You're this Doctor's companion!" Joan insisted. "Can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"

"Don't you get it?" Lily shouted. She took her watch out and slammed it down on the table. "I'm as powerless as he is! I'm not a Time Lord anymore and my other powers are being chemically restricted for at least another four hours!" She glared at her. "And I'm not just his companion! I'm his mate! I'm supposed to protect him! And I can't do anything!"

"Why don't you just open that watch?" Joan demanded.

"Because it isn't time yet!" Lily growled. "Don't ask me to explain. All I know is my true self has been locked away in that watch for twenty one years, but it still isn't time to open it yet."

"Why does Martha travel with you?" John asked her.

"Because…"Lily paused. "Because we're lonely. We need someone there to remind us what is right. We need someone to keep us company."

"And that what you want me to become." he said.

There was a knock at the door and they all turned to face it.

"What if it's them?" Joan asked.

"Are you dead?" Lily asked her, walking to the door.

"No." Joan replied, confused.

"Then it's not them." Lily said opening the door.

Martha and Latimer rushed in.

"Oh thank god." Lily said, pulling Martha into a hug, which she returned. "How did you know where we were?"

"The Doctor led us to you." Martha replied, showing her the glowing watch.

Lily gently laid her fingertips on the watch and smiled.

"Lily…" the watch whispered.

"Hello, Doctor." she whispered. She sighed. "Give it to John." she told her.

Martha did as she asked, holding it out to John.

"Hold it." Martha told him.

"I won't." John replied.

"Please, just hold it." Lily told him.

"It told me to find you." Latimer told him. "It wants to be held."

"You've had this watch all this time?" Joan demanded. "Why did you return it?"

"Actually, part of the time, he's had mine." Lily pointed out.

"Because it was waiting." Latimer told her. "And because I was scared of the Doctor."

"Why?" Joan asked.

"Because…I've seen him." Latimer replied. "He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun."

"Stop it." John told him, but he ignored him.

"He's ancient and forever." Latimer continued. "They both are." he said, glancing at Lily. "They burn at the center of time and they can see the turn of the universe."

"Stop!" John shouted. "I said stop it."

"And they're wonderful." Latimer concluded.

Joan reached into her coat pocket and pulled out John's book.

"I've still got this." she told them. "The journal."

"Those are just stories." John told her.

"Now we know that's not true." Joan replied. "Perhaps there's something in here."

The house was rocked by and explosion.

"What the hell are they doing now?" Lily demanded.

They all looked out the window to see what looked like meteorites falling to the ground.

"They're bombing us." Lily growled. "The idiots are bombing us!"

"Watch." John whispered, picking it up.

"John, don't." Joan said.

"Come closer…" the watch whispered.

"Can you hear it?" Latimer asked him.

"Closer…closer…" it whispered.

"I think he's asleep." John murmured. "Waiting to awaken."

"Why did he speak to me?" Latimer asked.

"Oh, low level telepathic field." John said in a normal voice. "You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing-" He stopped and took a deep breath. "Is that how he talks?"

"Yes." Lily said with a smile. "He's a genius. All you have to do is open it and he's back."

"You knew all along." He accused. "All this time and you let me-you watched me make a fool out of myself for you. For what? Your amusement?"

"No." Lily told him. "I didn't know what to do. If I had rejected you, you would have turned to Joan and I couldn't let that happen." She turned to Joan. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let him break your heart. I wouldn't let him do that to himself or you."

"He gave us a list of things to watch out for but that wasn't included." Martha told John.

"Falling in love?" he asked. "That didn't even occur to him?"

"No." Martha replied.

"Then what sort of man is that?" John demanded.

"He didn't think of it because he was already in love and mourning that love." Lily told him.

"Rose." John whispered.

"Yes." Lily told him softly.

"But now you expect me to die?" John asked.

"It was always going to end!" Lily yelled at him. "The Family has a limited lifespan. That's why they need us. They need to consume a Time Lord, otherwise, three month and they die. Like mayflies."

"So your job was to execute me." he spat at her.

"Yes." she replied calmly. "Because one day it'll be his job to do the same for me."

"People are dying out there!" Martha interjected. "They need him and we need him. 'Cause you've got no idea of what he's like."

Another bomb rocked the house.

"It's getting closer." Latimer pointed out.

"I should have thought of it before-" John said, "I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and I can stay as I am!"

"You can't do that!" Martha shouted.

"If they want the Doctor, they can have him." John replied.

"Try it and I'll break your legs." Lily told him. "Do not push me."

"If they get what they want, then-then-"

"Then it all ends in destruction." Joan interrupted, looking up. "I never read to the end, but those creatures would live forever to breed and conquer. War across the stars…for every child."

"Martha, Joan, Tim." Lily suddenly said. "Can you give us a moment?"

Martha nodded and led the other outside to a bench. They sat and Martha pulled Latimer into her arms and held him tightly as they watched the bombs fall.

A/N: What will Lily say to John? Find out next time!

Abbey


	59. Family of Blood: Save Me

Disclaimer: I have decided to go on a hunger strike until I'm given the Doctor….ten minutes later…My god, I'm hungry.

Ch. 59:

Lily stood there staring at John.

"Open the watch." she told him.

"No." he simply replied.

He studied her closely.

"He won't love you." he told her. "Not like I do. Not like you want him to."

"It's a possibility." Lily agreed. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Why?" he asked. "Why do you want to give up a life you could have with me for a life you may never have with him?"

"Do you know I've never even admitted I love him to anyone?" Lily asked. "Not even to Martha. Certainly not to him."

She sat down across from him.

"When he took me in, I had just lost the only man I had ever loved." she told him. "And every day I wake up and I hate myself, because I look at him and I wish he had been the one I met first. He healed me. He healed me in ways I didn't even know I was broken. And I really hope you don't remember any of this later, because I love him. I love him so much it hurts. I love him so much that I am willing to stay at his side even if he never loves me."

She reached out and took John's hand, the one with the watch in it.

Visions flashed through their heads. Weddings, births, birthdays, more weddings, children, grandchildren, peaceful deaths. All of them, the two of them together.

Lily shook her head and removed her hand.

"Did you see?" John asked her.

"Yes." Lily said softly.

"We could have that." he told her. "We could have that together."

Lily got up and paced.

"No we can't, don't you see?" she demanded. "I don't belong here! I hate this time and everything about it."

She fell to her knees in front of him.

"You weren't supposed to fall in love with me." she told desperately. She took a deep breath. "And I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you." she told him sadly. "I would give anything to keep you from having to do this, but no matter how much I might love you, I can not live that life. I can't. I won't. No matter how much you love me or I love you, I love him more. So don't make me choose between you." She met his eyes and held them. "Because I will choose him every day of the week and twice on Sundays."

She gently folded his hand around the watch and got to her feet.

"You need to make the choice." she told him. "Stay here and watch the world burn, or become the man you are meant to be."

With that she walked out, leaving him alone.

* * *

There was a metal twang and the Family turned as one to see John lurch into the ship.

"Just-" he gave a clumsy lurch and leaned against the side of the ship, hitting a few buttons as he fell. "Just stop the bombardment. That's all I'm asking, I'll do anything you want, just stop." he pleaded.

"Say please." Baines ordered.

"Please." John begged.

After a slight pause, Jenny turned a switch and there was a hiss as the ship responded.

"Wait a minute." she said, inhaling deeply. "Still human."

"Now, I can't-" John told them. "I can't pretend to understand, not for a second, but I want you to know that I'm innocent in all this. He made me John Smith. It's not like I had any control over it."

He fell again and hit some more buttons.

"He didn't just make himself human," Jenny observed, "he made himself an idiot."

"Same thing, isn't it?" Baines asked.

"I don't care about this Doctor and your family." John told them. "I just want you to go. So, I've made my choice." He held out the watch. "You can have him. Just take it, please! Take him away!"

"At last." Baines breathed, taking the watch. As he gazed at it, he reached out with his other hand and grabbed John by the lapels. "Don't think that saved you life." he told John.

Baines pushed John away causing him to run into more buttons.

"Family of Mine," Baines said, "now we shall have the lives of a Time Lord."

He opened the watch but nothing happened.

"It's empty!" he yelled, turning back to John.

"Well, where's it gone?" he asked.

"You tell me." Baines demanded.

He threw the watch and John caught it one handed.

"Oh, I think the explanation might be you've been fooled by a simple olfactory misdirection." The Doctor told them, once again himself. "Little bit like ventriloquism of the nose. It's an elementary trick in certain parts of the galaxy. But it has got to be said-" He took out his glasses and put them on, studying a nearby screen. "I don't like the looks of the hydroconometre. It seems to indicating you've got energy feedback all the way through the retrostabiliseres feeding back into the primary heat converter-ah." He hissed through his teeth. "Cause if there's one thing you shouldn't have done, you shouldn't have let me press all those buttons."

He gave them a cold stare.

"You really should have followed Lily's advice." He told them, cold fury ringing in every word. "But, in fairness, I'll give it to you again. Run."

He ducked out of the ship, leaving them there.

"Get out!" Baines yelled. "Get out!"

The Family ran out of the ship and across the field, following the Doctor. The ship exploded and the force of it sent the flying. When they looked up, they saw the Doctor standing over them.

* * *

"_He never raised his voice. That was the worst thing. The fury of the Time Lord. And then we discovered why. Why this Doctor, who had fought gods and demons, why he'd run away from us and hidden-he was being kind."_

Clarke was wrapped in thick metal chains, screaming, as the Doctor stood watching, unmoved.

"_He wrapped my father in unbreakable chains, forged in the heart of a dwarf star."_

Jenny was pulled out of the doors of the TARDIS.

"_He tricked my mother into the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy to be imprisoned there…forever."_

The Doctor watched, no expression on his face.

"_He still visits my little sister once a year, every year."_

The Doctor looked into a ornate mirror where a door was cracked open and Lucy peered out.

"_I wonder if one day he might forgive her, but there she is-can you see her? He trapped her inside a mirror, every mirror. If ever you look at your reflection and see something move behind you, just for a second, that's her. That's always her."_

Baines stood as a scarecrow in a field.

"_As for me, I was suspended in time. And the Doctor put me to work…"_

The Doctor placed the hood over his head.

"…_standing over the fields of England…as their protector."_

The Doctor walked away, never looking back.

"_We wanted to live forever, so the Doctor made sure that we did."

* * *

_

The Doctor and Lily walked into the Cartwright's house, the Doctor dressed in his normal blue suit, converses, and long coat, and Lily in tight black jeans tucked into knee high boots, her dagger tucked into the right one, a white long sleeved shirt with a long black, sleeveless jacket over it, clasped in the front with three silver buttons.

She was holding the Doctor's hand tightly.

"Is it done?" Joan asked them, looking out the window.

"It's done." the Doctor answered.

Joan nodded.

"Doctor," Lily said quietly, "I'm going to go, if you're alright?"

"I'm fine." he told her. "I'll meet you and Martha back at the TARDIS."

She nodded and squeezed his hand gently before leaving them alone.

"Lily didn't want me to come." he told Joan.

"Police and the army are at the school." Joan replied. "The parents have come to take the boys home. I should go. They'll have so many questions. I'm not sure what to say."

She finally turned around.

"Oh, you look the same." she said. "Goodness, you must forgive my rudeness. I…find it difficult to look at you. Doctor, must call you Doctor." She sighed. "Where is he? John Smith?"

"He's in here somewhere." he told her.

"Like a story." she said. "Could you change back?"

"Yes." The Doctor told her.

"Will you?" she asked.

"No." he answered.

"I see." Joan said. "Well then. He was braver than you, in the end. That ordinary man. You chose to change. He chose to die."

"You could come with us." he told her.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Travel with me." he told her.

"As what?" Joan asked him.

"My companion." he replied.

"With Lily as your mate?" she asked. She shook her head. "No."

"It wouldn't be like that." he told her. "We could start again. I'd like that."

She stared at him.

"You should stop running from her." Joan told him. "She loves you so much that she gave up another man that she loved just to bring you back."

"I know." he said softly.

"And you love her too, don't you?" Joan asked. "That's why John chose her over me."

"He loved you." The Doctor told her.

"But not as much as you love her." Joan replied.

"It's so much more complicated then you could possibly understand." he told her.

"It usually is." Joan replied. "But tell me this. If the Doctor had never visited us, if he'd never chosen this place on a whim…would anyone here have died?" she asked.

The Doctor didn't answer.

"You can go." she told him.

The Doctor turned and walked out.

Joan slowly walked to the table, picked up the journal, and held it to her, crying.

* * *

Lily and Martha were talking quietly in front of the TARDIS as the Doctor approached.

"All right." he called. "Molto bene!"

"How was she?" Martha asked.

"Time we moved on." was all he said.

"You could-" Lily said, but he cut her off, meeting her eyes.

"Time we moved on." he repeated.

She nodded.

"I just wanted to say," he said awkwardly, "thanks. You know, for looking after me. I know it wasn't easy."

He wrapped Martha in a big hug. He moved to Lily and cupped her cheek.

"Thank you." he said sincerely.

She smiled up at him softly.

"You're welcome." she told him.

"Doctor, Miss Lily, Martha." a voice called.

They turned to find Latimer walking up to them.

"Tim-Timothy-Timber." the Doctor called.

"I just wanted to say goodbye." he told them. "And thank you, because I've seen the future and I know now what must be done." He looked at them seriously. "It's coming, isn't it? The biggest war ever."

"You don't have to fight." Lily told him.

"I think we do." he replied.

"But you could get hurt." Martha protested.

"Well, so could you, traveling around with them." he told her. "But it's not going to stop you."

"Tim, I'd be honored if you'd take this." The Doctor told him, handing him the watch.

"I can't hear anything." Latimer said as he grasped it.

"No, it's just a watch now." the Doctor told him. "But keep it with you. For good luck."

Martha walked forward and hugged him.

"Look after yourself." she told him, kissing his cheek.

Lily smiled and also hugged him.

"You're going to be amazing, Tim." she told him softly. "I know it."

She smiled again and linked her arm with Martha's and they made their way inside.

"You'll like this bit." the Doctor told him as he went to the TARDIS and walked inside.

A moment later the TARDIS dematerialized.

Latimer smiled and walked away.

* * *

In the trenches of WWI, men were struggling through the mud as a bomb whistled as it fell.

"Incoming!" a man shouted.

"_In June 1914, an archduke of Austria was shot by a Serbian and this then led, through nations having treaties with other nations, like a line of dominoes falling, to some boys from England walking together through France on a terrible day…"_

Latimer opened the watch.

"One minute past the hour." he said. "It's now. Hutchinson, this the time, it's now."

He looked up and heard the sound of a bomb falling.

"To the right!" Latimer yelled. "To the right!"

Latimer and Hutchinson jumped into a muddy ditch as a bomb fell right where they had been standing.

"We made it." Latimer said, smiling. "Thank you, Doctor. Come along, chap." he told Hutchinson.

"Leave me." he replied. "I'm not gonna make it."

"Oh yes you are." Latimer told him. "Didn't I promise you, all those years ago? Now, come on-and that's an order!"

He lifted Hutchinson up and they slogged across the muddy battlefield.

* * *

Years later, a old man sat at a Remembrance Sunday service as a female vicar read For the Fallen by Laurence Binyan.

"...They mingle not with laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.  
They went with songs to the battle,"

The man had a number of medals pinned to his suit and in his hands is a silver pocket watch.

Latimer watched the service with a tear in his eye.

"…they were young," the vicar continued. "Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and a glow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted."

Latimer turned his head and saw Lily attaching a poppy to the Doctor's lapel, Martha smiling beside them.

He smiled.

"They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

A/N: That's all for Family of Blood. That's what, a whole episode in two days? My brain hurts. Well, let me know what you thought.

Abbey


	60. Moments in the Life

Disclaimer: Hour one of my hunger strike: Hey this isn't so bad, I'm a little hungry, but that's okay. Hour and half of my hunger strike: If you don't give me that sandwich, I will kill you.

Ch. 60:

Lily was in her bathing suit, basking in the artificial light, dangling her legs over the side of the pool, when she was suddenly covered by a shadow.

"How did you find me?" she asked him, cracking one eye open.

"The TARDIS gave you up." The Doctor said, handing her a bottle. "Here."

Lily looked at it and back up at him.

"Beer?" she asked.

"Yeah." He started taking off his shoes and socks. "I missed your birthday."

"Yeah." she said, turning back to the water. "You did."

He rolled up his pants legs and sat down next to her. They sat there in silence for a while as Lily drank her beer.

"You remember everything, don't you?" she finally asked him.

They had been dancing around this conversation for three days and she was sick of it.

"Yeah." he said softly.

"I'm not going to say I didn't mean it." she told him flatly. "But I also don't expect anything from you."

"Okay." he replied.

She hesitated.

"I know you love Rose." she stated. "I would never try to replace her. And I'm not going to say that I don't still love my original Doctor. But some where along the way, you took his place as the most important man in my life. And it's killing me."

She glared at the water.

"I'm also pretty pissed at you for making me go through the last three months." She sighed. "I mean, I get why you did it. It's just…I hated it there. I hated the way they treated women. I hated the way they treated Martha. I hated feeling powerless."

"But you didn't hate him." he said.

"No, I didn't." she replied. "But not for the reasons you think."

"How do you know?" he asked her.

She looked at him.

"You think I loved him because he could do all the things you wish you could." she told him. "But that's not true. I loved the parts of him that were so very you. The parts I could cling to, to remind myself that you were coming back." She sighed. "I loved parts of him, but for the most part, I hated him. He was so…not you. It was hard to look at him and have him treat me the way he did."

They sat in silence again.

"Lily." he finally said. "I'm not going to say something I don't know if I can follow up on." he told her. "All I know is I've been running my whole life. From the Time Lords, from my enemies,…from Rose." He gently made her look at him. "I don't want to run anymore. No, that's not true. I still want to run, I just want someone to run with me."

He gently ran his thumb against her cheek.

"I don't know what this is." he told her. "And I don't know where it's going. I just know I don't want to be alone anymore. And I really don't want to lose you."

Lily sighed and looked down.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked.

He sighed and linked his fingers through hers.

"We go forward." he told her. "And we figure it out as we go. But we do it together."

She nodded.

"So," he said lightly. "Not a fan of the corset are we?"

She turned and glared at him.

"I swear to god, if you ever make me wear one again, I will kill you." she told him. "No joke. I don't care if you regenerate, I'll just keep killing you until you run out."

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her.

"I promise." he told her. "No more corsets."

"Good." she replied, leaning into his shoulder.

* * *

"Doctor!" Martha heard Lily yell.

A second later the Doctor came running into the library and dove behind the couch Martha was sitting on.

"I'm not here." he told her in a whisper.

"Where is he?" Lily shrieked.

Martha turned around and burst out laughing.

Standing there was Lily. She was in a bikini, soaking wet and mad as hell.

"What happened to you?" Martha asked through her laughter.

"The moron pushed me into the pool." Lily said through clenched teeth. "Where is he?"

Martha laughed and pointed.

"I have no idea." she said with a wink. "I haven't seen him."

Lily nodded.

"Well that's too bad." she said before pouncing over the sofa.

She grabbed the Doctor by the ear and dragged him out.

"OW!" he cried. "Come on, Lily, it was just a joke. Please let go."

"Nope." she said dragging him along.

Martha, still laughing, got up and followed them.

She basically collapsed as Lily dragged the Doctor to the edge of the pool and pushed him in, still in his suit.

"Now what do you say?" she called after him.

"I'm sorry." he grumbled, reaching up to her. "Now will you help me out of here?"

She sighed and reached down to grasp his hand. A second later, she shrieked as he pulled her in too.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" he said, laughing as she sputtered. "It's the oldest trick in the book."

"Oh and you'd definitely know that." she said, pushing his head under.

Martha sat down, laughing as they argued.

It was good to be back to normal.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily were talking as she got ready for bed.

"Your nightmares got worse the longer we were in 1913." the Doctor said.

"Yeah." Lily replied. "Why?"

"Well, it's just, they've gotten better again." he said.

"Think about what's different now then it was then." Lily said. "Think hard, it'll come to you."

She came out in her tank top and bottoms and got into the bed as the Doctor sat cross legged at the foot.

"Well there, you had your own room." he said finally.

"Very good." Lily told him. "A little more time and you might actually be considered intelligent."

He threw a pillow at her, which she caught and put under her head.

"So you're saying that having someone else nearby helps." he said.

She looked thoughtful.

"Yeah." she said finally. "But I also think they were worse because the bond was gone. It was so quiet in my head I though I was going to go insane."

"Have I said I'm sorry you had to go through that?" he asked.

"No." she told him, smiling. "But it's nice to hear."

* * *

Martha and Lily were wandering through the wardrobe the next day, having fun trying things on and talking. The last three months had made them closer than anyone could have guessed.

"You and the Doctor seem to be on better terms." Martha called.

"Yeah we are." Lily said.

"So what does that mean?" Martha asked her.

"I don't know." Lily told her. "But he doesn't either, so it's okay. We're just going to keep going and see where it takes us."

"I think you should just kiss him, get it over with." Martha told her.

Lily laughed and threw an awful, large brimmed hat at her. Martha caught it and put it on.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Is it me?"

Lily laughed and shook her head.

"I think that should definitely join the never wear again rack." she told her friend.

Martha looked in the mirror and shrugged.

"Yeah, you're probably right." she said, taking it off.

* * *

Martha was sitting in the control room watching the Doctor attempt to fix the TARDIS. It wasn't going well.

"Uh, we may want to leave again." The Doctor called as the console began to spark.

Both he and Martha ran for the door and waited as the TARDIS took care of the fire.

"That's the third time in the last two hours." Martha told him. "Maybe you should give up."

"Or maybe he should stop trying to fix things that don't need to be fixed." Lily said, coming up behind them.

"I was just tweaking the stabilizers." he told her.

Lily stared at him.

"Why?" she asked. "You don't use them. I bet you can't even find them on the console."

"I will take that bet." he replied, stalking back into the control room, Martha and Lily exchanging a look before following.

"There, see." he said pointing to a switch. "The stabilizers."

"Doctor, that's the a/c." Lily told him with a sigh.

"What?" he exclaimed. "No it isn't."

Lily leaned over and twisted the switch. It got warmer. She twisted it again and it got cooler again.

"See?" she asked. "A/C."

The Doctor stared at the console for the next half and hour while Lily and Martha talked. Periodically he would claim he'd found them and Lily would shoot him down.

"Thermoregulater for the engines."

"Temporal scope."

"Radio."

"No, Doctor, that's just a light. It doesn't do anything."

"Fine!" he finally said, throwing up his hands. "You tell me where they are."

Lily grinned at him.

"Right hand side of the third panel." she told him. "Blue switches."

He went to the third panel and found them, clearly marked 'stabilizers'.

"I'm going to the library." he said, stalking out, their laughter following him all the way.

* * *

Lily walked in to the kitchen and sat down for lunch with the others.

"I just got a call from Jack." she told them.

"What did the renegade Time Agent want?" the Doctor said, setting a sandwich in front of her.

"He said there might be something in London we should check out." Lily told him. "Something about a lizard. He said we should bring bows and arrows."

"Why doesn't Jack go deal with it?" Martha asked, curious.

"Jack's authority only extends through Wales." Lily told her. "London should be Torchwood 1's territory, but after it was destroyed, they never bothered to rebuild. It's easier for us to go deal with it."

"As much as I do not want to be Jack's errand boy," the Doctor said, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out."

A/N: Next chapter, Blink. One of the scariest episodes ever. It will be very different though, because I'll be telling it from the point of view of the Doctor and co. Tell me, blah, blah…you know the drill.

Abbey


	61. Blink: Letters from Before They're Sent

Disclaimer: 300th minute of my huger strike: The pain is too much, I don't think I can go on. Please tell the Doctor I love him. Goodbye, cruel world!

Ch. 61:

"That's it." Lily complained as they got in a cab. "Next time Jack wants us to do a favor for him, we run. We run in the opposite direction, in the opposite time! And we don't stop running for at least a fortnight."

"Oh it's not that bad." The Doctor told her, adjusting his bow. "It's just a lizard. And four eggs. Each of which will hatch four more lizards. Lizards that can breath fire."

Lily stared at him.

"Oh, yeah." she said sarcastically. "Not bad at all."

"Well all we have to do is get rid of the mum, right?" Martha said. "That can't be that bad right?"

Lily glared at her.

"I'm going to remember that you said that." she told her. "And when this all goes to hell, I'm blaming you."

The cab stopped and they got out.

"Come on." Martha said. "We've got about twenty minutes until the red hatching."

She took off running with Lily and the Doctor went to follow, but was stopped by someone calling his name.

"Doctor!" a young blonde woman called as she ran out of a shop. "Doctor! Doctor!"

"Hello!" he said. "Sorry, bit of a rush, there's a sort of thing happening, fairly important we stop it."

"My god, it's you." she gasped. "It really is you. Oh, you don't remember me, do you?" she asked.

"Doctor, as much as I encourage talking to random people on the street," Lily said as she walked back to him, "we really don't have time for this. The migration's started."

"Look, sorry." he told the woman. "I've got a bit of a complex life. Things don't always happen to me in order. Gets confusing, especially at weddings, I'm rubbish at weddings, especially my own."

"Oh my God!" she said, "You're a time traveler. It hasn't happened yet! None of it, it's still in your future!"

"Migration'll wait." Lily said, paying attention now.

"What hasn't happened?" the Doctor asked.

"Doctor, Lily!" Martha called. "Twenty minutes to red hatching!"

"It was me." the woman told them. "Oh, for God's sake, it was me all along. You got it all from me!"

"Got what?" the Doctor asked.

"Okay. Listen." she told him. "One day you're going to get stuck in 1969."

"Oh, for the love of God, not again." Lily moaned.

"No corsets this time." the Doctor consoled her.

"Ooo, '69." Lily said. "No bras."

The Doctor stared at her.

The woman handed him a file folder.

"Make sure you've got this with you." she told him. "You're going to need it."

"Doctor!" Martha called.

"Okay, I lied, the migration won't wait." Lily said.

"Yeah, listen, listen, got to dash…" The Doctor told the woman, "things happening. Well, four things. Well, four things and a lizard."

"Okay." the woman said with a smile. "No worries, on you go. See you around, some day."

The Doctor ran off with Lily, but stopped and turned back.

"What was your name?" he asked her.

"Sally Sparrow." she told him.

"Good to meet you, Sally Sparrow." he told her.

A man walked up to her and looked at the Doctor, dumbstruck. Sally smiled at him and took his hand.

"Goodbye, Doctor." she called before they turned and, arms around each other, they walked back into the shop.

The Doctor gave her one final, fond look before turning and following Lily and Martha.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight." Lily called.

The Doctor was sitting on the floor of the bathroom, reading the packet Sally had given him, while Lily took a shower, trying to get rid of the slime.

"A woman named Sally Sparrow, gives us a packet telling us that some time in the near future, we're going to get attacked by weeping angels." she said. "Which by the way will take much more explanation before I finally understand what the hell a weeping angel is. But anyway, we get zapped back to 1969, without the TARDIS, so without a way home. We then use the information in that packet to send messages forward to Sally Sparrow, so she can send us the TARDIS so we can go back home."

"Yes." the Doctor told her.

"And then a year later, in her time line, before it's happened to us, she gives us the information that tells us that some time in the near future, we're going to get attacked by weeping angels." she concluded.

"Yes." the Doctor repeated.

Lily stuck her head out of the shower.

"How is that not a paradox?" she asked.

"It is." the Doctor told her. "But one the universe allows. It's one of those little quirks in time."

"Yeah, well those little quirks in time are giving me a headache." Lily said, returning to her shower.

"I can give you something for it." the Doctor called.

He just barely ducked as a bottle came flying at his head.

"The last time you gave me something, it was Speed." Lily growled at him. "What makes you think I'm ever going to let you give me something ever again?"

"It was just a suggestion." he told her.

She sighed and shut off the water.

"Hand me that towel." she told him.

He did so, still studying the papers in front of him.

"It says that the whole thing is started when the TARDIS is found at the Wester Drumlins house, two years before she stumbled upon it." he told her, not looking up as she stepped out of the shower, the towel wrapped around her. "Wanna go check it out?" he asked, finally looking up at her.

She stood there, hair dripping, wearing only a towel, glaring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"You find out we're going to be stuck in 1969 for god knows how long, and you want to rush to do it?" Lily demanded.

"I just want to know what's going on." he defended himself.

"You're insane." she said, walking out of the bathroom and into their room.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?" he asked, following her.

"Because your insanity is going to be what gets us stuck in 1969, not the angels." Lily told him opening another door and walking into a smaller version of the wardrobe that housed what she and the Doctor wore on a normal basis.

"Have you even thought about what the TARDIS thinks about all this?" Lily asked as she looked for something to wear.

"We save her." The Doctor said. "She's fine in the end. Why should she have a problem with it?"

"Maybe, just maybe, she won't like being capture by the angels." Lily pointed out.

"Look we have to do it." the Doctor said, holding up the file. "'Cause we've already done it."

"If you use the term 'wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey' I swear I'll deck you." she told him. "Turn around."

He did as she asked, but kept talking.

"Come on, Lils." he whined. "It'll be an adventure."

Lily walked up behind him, now wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on her toes to rest her chin on his shoulder.

"Doctor, every day with you is an adventure." she told him. "Or a horrible, horrible nightmare. Depends on your perspective."

He huffed and she laughed turning him around to face her.

"You really want to do this?" she asked him seriously.

He nodded, pouting slightly.

She sighed.

"Fine, but we don't tell Martha before hand." she told him. "Any little argument might sway me at this point."

"Thank you, Lily girl." he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Oh, god." she moaned.

* * *

"Come on." the Doctor called leading the girls up the path to the rundown house.

"What are we doing here?" Martha asked Lily.

"We're adding to a long list of reasons why I want to kill the Doctor." Lily replied.

"Okay." Martha said slowly. "Is something going on that I don't know about?"

"Yes." Lily told her as the Doctor opened the door.

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" Martha asked.

"Nope." Lily said as she walked through the door.

"Why not?" Martha asked, following her.

"Honestly?" Lily asked. "Because this is a terrible idea, but I told the Doctor he could do it. But if I tell you, you'll talk me out of it and then he'll go off and do it on his own." She shrugged. "This way's simpler and safer."

They walked into the main parlor and the Doctor was looking at the wallpaper. He pulled a little back and revealed the B-E.

"See, told you." he said smugly. "We've already done it."

"Yeah, because you made the decision to do it." Lily shot back. "Don't argue temporal theory with me, I'll go round for round."

The Doctor didn't answer because he had spotted something outside the window.

"Okay." he said slowly. "When I tell you to, I want you both to close your eyes and don't open them."

"I would like to go on record and say that this is a terrible, awful, horrible plan. One of your worst yet. And that I should have tied you up and left you in the bowels of the TARDIS until you came to your senses." Lily told him.

"You're already on record." the Doctor told her. "You even had the TARDIS make an actual recording of it and you had me witness it."

"Can someone please explain what's going on?" Martha asked.

"You're about to be attacked." Lily told her. "It's not going to hurt. Well, it's going to hurt a little, but you'll be fine."

"Attacked?" Martha demanded. "Attacked by what?"

"Not important." The Doctor replied. "The important thing is to keep your eyes shut until I tell you."

"Doctor-" Martha began.

"Nope." he said, interrupting. "We've only got a few seconds."

All while this had been going on, he hadn't take his eyes off whatever was outside that window.

"On three, close your eyes." the Doctor said. "One, two, three."

Martha and Lily slammed their eyes shut and the Doctor turned away. There was a sound, sort of like the fluttering of wings, and an intense pressure.

"Okay, you can open your eyes." the Doctor said as they all groaned.

Martha and Lily opened their eyes to find they were in a alley.

"What just happened?" Martha moaned.

"You've just been killed by a weeping angel." Lily told her. "Congratulations."

A/N: Blink chapter one! Okay, this is going to be hard. I want to have the stuff with Sally, but I also want to see what it was like for the Doctor and company to live in 1969 London. Expect this episode to be long.

Abbey


	62. Blink: Safe Houses, Jobs, & Toasters

Disclaimer: Give me Doctor Who or say hello to my little Dalek friend.

Ch. 62:

"Come on." Lily said, leading down the road.

"Where are we going?" Martha asked.

Lily turned around and walked backwards while talking to her.

"While the Doctor likes to rush into things, I like to have a plan." she told her. "I called Jack before we left. He told me about a safe house he's kept for years that we could use and a bank account with enough money to get us started."

"When did you have time to do that?" the Doctor asked her.

"When you were cheating by packing as much crap in your pockets as you could." Lily told him with a glare.

"Oh, yeah." he said with a smile.

He walked forward and grabbed her hand walking forward as she walked backwards.

"Anyway," she said, "we'll still have to get jobs, 'cause I promised we'd repay the money, but at least we're set for now."

"So where's this house?" Martha asked.

Lily grimaced.

"I should probably tell you that Jack's idea of a safe house and the rest of the world's idea of a safe house are two complete different things." Lily told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well when on thinks of a safe house, they think of something inconspicuous." Lily replied. "Not in Jack's mind. He's a member of the 'pick the most expensive, ostentatious house on the block cause they'll never think to look for me there' school of thought."

"Again," Martha said, "what do you mean?"

"Let me put it this way," Lily told her, "this house? It's in Kensington district."

"Kensington." Martha repeated. "You're kidding me."

"No, I'm not." Lily told her.

"Yes, you are." Martha said. "My family's loaded and we can't afford a house in Kensington."

"Jack literally has more money than god." Lily said. "This is just one of the many houses he keeps around London, and one of even more houses he has around the country. And don't even get me started on the houses he has around the world. He's got a five bedroom apartment in Manhattan." she complained. "And then he lives in a bunker beneath the Torchwood Hub. The man is certifiable."

"We're going to be living in Kensington." Martha marveled.

"Yes we are." Lily told her with a smile.

Lily, who was still walking backwards, was suddenly lifted off her feet and over a curb.

"You could have just told me to turn around." she told the Doctor.

He smiled at her.

"That was easier and faster." he replied.

"Anyway," she said. "The house should be furnished, so all we have to do is buy food, find jobs, and wait for Sally Sparrow to send us the TARDIS."

She suddenly stopped, looking thoughtful.

"On second thought, you and I should probably be the ones getting jobs." Lily told Martha. "With our luck, he'd wind up inventing the dvd player years in advance."

"Hey, I would never!" the Doctor protested.

"Banana Daiquiri." she shot back. "That's all I'm saying."

"I should have let you trip." he replied, grouchily.

"Yeah, you should've." Lily told him with a smile.

They had finally reached a main road and Lily hailed them a cab. They got in and Lily gave the driver the address. About fifteen minutes later, the cab stopped.

"Oh. My. God." Martha said as they got out.

In front of them was a three story town house. The house was huge.

"Ok, when we get back, I'm having Jack deed this place over to me." Lily said as they walked through the door.

The first floor was an open studio style with a sitting room, a dinning area, and a kitchen with an attaching garage, and bathroom. There was a staircase leading up and down.

"So there are three floors, plus a basement." Lily told them. "Second floor has two bedrooms with baths and then the third floor is the master bedroom. I figured we'd all take a room and then the Doctor could use the basement for whatever he needs to do to get us home."

"You really do like plans, don't you?" Martha asked, looking around wondering.

"Yeah, well I got stuck in 1913 on the fly." Lily groused. "I'm not pulling a repeat performance."

They stood there in silence for a moment.

"Wanna go explore?" Lily asked Martha, grinning.

Martha smiled and they both ran for the stairs, the Doctor smiling after them.

* * *

"This place is simply ridiculous." Martha said as she collapsed in a chair in the sitting room.

Lily sighed and plopped down next to the Doctor on the sofa.

"Have fun?" he asked her, smiling.

"Yeah." she told him, returning the smile. "Martha and I are taking the rooms on the second floor. You can have the one on the third if you want."

He frowned at her.

_We're staying in separate rooms? _he asked her.

_Well, I just thought…_she trailed off.

_You thought what?_ he asked.

_I just thought it would make things easier. _she told him. _On both of us. Plus my nightmares have been tons better. _

_It's up to you._ he told her, looking away.

She leaned her head against his shoulder.

_We need this. _she told him. _I need to take a step back. I can fall into the same pattern, relying on you to define who I am._

When he didn't reply, she sighed.

_Please don't be angry with me. _she told him.

He kissed her forehead swiftly.

_I'm not angry._ he told her. _I just have no idea what I'm going to do to occupy myself if I'm not keeping you company._

She grinned at him.

_I'm sure you'll think of something. _she said. _ Just try not to destroy anything._

"You two are having one of your silent conversations again, aren't you?" Martha complained.

"Sorry." Lily said with a smile. "I was just explaining why he can't have a job again."

_And we're lying to her again?_ the Doctor asked.

_Just a little one. _Lily replied with a glare. _She's my friend and she cares about you. I'm not going to hurt her if I don't have to. _

The Doctor took her hand in his and squeezed it.

_I know._ he replied.

"You're doing it again." Martha told them.

"Sorry." they both said.

"Anyway." Martha said, moving on. "We should probably get some food. Wanna go shopping?"

"We're also going to need clothes." Lily said. "But that can wait until tomorrow."

"What about jobs?" Martha asked.

"Well," Lily replied, "the packet says that you had a job in a shop, but it doesn't say what I was doing. For all I know, my time was taken up by keeping this one from destroying the block." she said, pointing at the Doctor.

"Ok, I'm starting to be offended by your lack of faith." the Doctor told her.

"You forget, Doctor." she said. "I live everyday inside your mind. I'm probably the only one who knows just how many times you've come dangerously close to blowing up the TARDIS, and that's significantly harder than blowing up a house."

"Oh, yeah." he muttered.

"You could refrain from doing that, I would appreciate it." Martha told him. "Cause this is a really nice house."

"Come on." Lily said, standing up. "Lets go find the nearest market."

* * *

It turned out there was one just a few blocks over. The girls spent the next couple of hours buying anything they might need, while the Doctor made a general nuisance out of himself. After he knocked over his third display, Lily sat him down up front and told him not to move.

"You know, sometimes it's like having a giant child." Lily said as she rejoined Martha as they got ready to check out.

Martha smiled.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't change him for the world." she told her.

Lily glanced at the Doctor, who looked fairly put out, and also smiled.

"No you wouldn't." she agreed.

They collected their purchases and the three of them made their way back to their temporary home.

* * *

The next morning they were all sitting around the table as Martha poured over the jobs in the newspaper.

"I'll come with you." Lily told her as she picked out the shops she thought might be worth checking out. "Hopefully we can get jobs together or at least nearby each other."

"Don't forget we have to go check out Wester Drumlins." the Doctor reminded them.

"Fine." Lily said. "Martha and I'll spend the morning job hunting, come home for lunch and then we can go out to the house after. Sound good to everyone?" she asked.

The Doctor shrugged and Martha nodded.

"If you need anything, just call me." Lily told him, hugging him around the neck from behind.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself for one morning." he told her grouchily.

She kissed his cheek and stood up.

"That's just what I let you think." she told him, leaving before he could come up with an answer.

Outside, the two women hailed a cab.

"Do we have any idea how long we're going to be here?" Martha asked as the cab took off.

Lily shook her head.

"As far as I know, Sally didn't know how long we were here." she told her friend. "We know we have to stay here long enough for Billy Shipton to get here, but it could be anytime after that."

"Great." Martha moaned.

"Hey, it could be worse." Lily told her.

"How?" Martha wanted to know.

"There could be corsets again." Lily replied.

Martha laughed.

The cab stopped and the two women got out, Lily leaning through the window to pay, and looked around. All three shops were in the same general area, so they walked to the nearest one.

Five minutes later, they had been told in no uncertain terms that the manger didn't want blacks working for him and Martha had to drag Lily out so she didn't throttle him.

"Stupid ass racist!" Lily yelled back through the door.

"Lily, calm down." Martha told her. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Lily demanded. "You're one of the smartest people I know, and a damn shop won't hire you simply because of the color of your skin. That's it, I'm only going to time periods after the civil rights movement."

"We'll just try the next one." Martha told her. "One of them has to hire blacks."

Lily huffed, but she let Martha lead her away.

The next store was the same story.

"I hate humans." Lily growled as Martha once again pulled her out.

"Your human." Martha reminded her.

"Only technically." Lily replied.

They stopped in front of the next store.

"This is the last one in this area." Lily said.

It was a little store, family run. The two girls walked in to find an elderly woman running the counter.

"What can I do for you, young ladies?" she asked as Lily and Martha walked up.

"We've come about the open position." Martha said. "We'd like to apply."

"I'm sorry, but there's only one available." the woman told them.

"She's just applying." Lily said quickly, pointing at Martha.

"What?" Martha hissed.

"I'm going to have an easier time." Lily told her in a whisper. "Her first response wasn't 'we don't hire colored people' it was 'there's only one'. If she'll hire you, you should take it."

Martha thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"How old are you, dear?" the woman asked Martha.

"I'm twenty seven, ma'am." Martha replied.

"None of that ma'am stuff." the woman told her. "I'm Florence. Florence St. Claire."

"Martha." Martha replied, holding out her hand. "Martha Jones."

Florence grasped her hand for a moment before letting go.

"How long of a job are you looking for, Martha?" she asked her.

"I don't really know." Martha replied. "At least a month."

"Well, I was hoping for something a bit more long term, but beggars can't be choosers." Florence told her. "When were you thinking you could start?"

"I could start as early as tomorrow." Martha told her.

"Well then." she said brightly. "Shop opens at ten, I expect you here at nine thirty, sharp."

"You mean I got the job?" Martha asked her.

"Of course you got it." Florence told her. "Now, off you go. I've got a business to run."

Martha smiled at her and waved goodbye.

"She's an odd bird." she remarked to Lily as they walked down the street. "I've never seen anyone hire someone that fast."

"I liked her." Lily said with a smile.

They walked past a bar, and Lily stopped.

"What is it?" Martha asked.

Lily looked at her and grinned.

"The Doctor's going to love this." she replied, walking into the bar.

Half an hour later, Lily walked out as the newest bar tender of the Crystal Flower bar.

"Months he made that ridiculous case against my having any kind of alcoholic beverage." Lily said as they hailed a cab to go back home for lunch. "Then he denies me the pleasure of rubbing it in his face when I turn twenty one, so this should be fun."

"You two have the strangest relationship." Martha said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, but at least we have fun." Lily replied.

The cab dropped them off and they walked through the front door. They both stopped as they smelled smoke.

Lily ran into the kitchen, Martha right behind her, to find the Doctor sitting on the floor, surrounded by the remains of some device, tinkering with the sonic screwdriver.

Lily glared at him.

"You just had to destroy the toaster didn't you?" she demanded.

A/N: Chapter two of Blink. Next chapter we start to add the current day stuff with Sally. Also, I bring sad tidings. I unfortunately have joined the ranks of working class America, and, sadly, will not be able to update as often. Never fear, though, I will not abandon you. (Though, I do seem to have abandoned my Harry Potter story. I should probably do something about that.) So, let me know what you thought of the chapter!

Abbey


	63. Blink: Follow the Writing on the Wall

Disclaimer: What do you mean you don't negotiate with terrorist? In what way does threatening you with a Dalek if you don't give me Doctor Who make me a terrorist? Hey, get this bag off my head!

Ch. 63:

After they cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and Lily explained to the Doctor that if he wanted to set things on fire, he needed to do it down stairs, they made their way to Wester Drumlins.

The house was just as empty now as it was in 2007, just less run down then later.

"We're sure that the Angels aren't here this far back, right?" Lily asked the Doctor as he used to sonic screwdriver to get through the gate.

"As far as we know." the Doctor replied.

"Oh, well," Lily said sarcastically, "that's oh so comforting."

"We aim to please." the Doctor said, leading them up to the door.

The house was completely empty, not an angel in sight.

"If I wind up even further back in time," Lily warned, "I will make your life a living hell."

"Oh, well that'll make for a change." the Doctor replied.

Lily slapped the back of his head and moved off upstairs.

"All clear." she said, coming back down. "Let's do what we came here to do and get out."

"What's the rush?" Martha asked.

"Well, since we're defacing private property, I thought we might want to be quick as to avoid detection and, you know, prison sentences." Lily replied sarcastically.

"Is it my imagination or are the two of you actually becoming more sarcastic than usual?" Martha asked.

Lily sighed and rubbed her face.

"It's being cut off from the TARDIS." Lily told her. "We're used to her being inside our heads. It's just weird coping without her. I guess this is our way of dealing."

"Come on." the Doctor said, leading them into the parlor that opened into the garden. "This is where it says Sally finds the message warning her about the angels."

* * *

In 2007, a young woman hopped a fence, ignoring the 'DANGER KEEP OUT' sign. She walked up to the house and kicked in some boards to get through the doors. She made her way through the main floor, occasionally stopping to take a picture of a chandelier or something else. She made her way into a room covered in peeling wallpaper. She noticed what looked to be words hidden by the paper.

* * *

"Did you remember the marker?" Lily asked, helping to remove the paper carefully so they could put it back up.

"Of course." the Doctor replied. "It's in my pocket with the sonic screwdriver."

When the had removed most of the paper, the Doctor got the marker and began writing, referencing the picture Sally had included.

* * *

The woman began to remove the paper, revealing the word 'BEWARE'. She pulled back some more and the words 'THE WEEPING ANGEL' appeared. She pulled back more and found 'OH, AND DUCK! REALLY DUCK!'. She pulled back more and stared at her name, 'SALLY SPARROW', written there in bold, black lettering. She pulled back another strip and it revealed 'DUCK, NOW'.

She heard glass brake and quickly ducked as a large stone hit the wall where her head had been. She stared at the stone for a moment before turning to find where it had come from. The only thing she saw was a solitary statue. A stature of a weeping angel.

She turned back to the wall and revealed the last message.

'LOVE FROM THE DOCTOR'

* * *

"You forgot the 1969." Lily pointed out.

The Doctor nodded and quickly added it.

"Come on." Lily said. "We need to put the paper back up."

Using the supplies they had brought, they spent the next half an hour putting the paper back up.

"You left the key in the house back in 2007, right?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, I dropped it right as the angel attacked." the Doctor replied, helping her clean up the remaining supplies.

"Well, then, I guess all we can do now is wait." Lily said as they made their way back outside.

* * *

"Kathy?" Sally called as she climbed up the stairs.

She looked down the hall and saw a man with glasses on a monitor.

"Your life could depend on this." he was saying as Sally walked towards the room. "Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don't turn you back, don't look away, and don't blink. Good luck."

The video stopped as she walked into the room. Looking around, she saw the same man, sometimes alone, sometimes with a black woman, sometimes with a pale woman, all on TV screens.

She walked out and into the kitchen, pulling out her phone and dialing it as she made coffee.

"Hello?" Kathy said as she answered her phone, half asleep.

"Bit freaked." Sally told her. "Need to talk. Making you a coffee."

"Sally Sparrow, it's one in the morning." Kathy told her. "You think I'm coming round at one in the morning?"

"No." Sally replied. "I'm in the kitchen. What's that on all those screens in your front room?"

Kathy sat straight up in bed.

"Oh, god!" she gasped. "Oh, god! Sally, you've met my brother, Larry, haven't you?"

"No." Sally said.

"You're about to." Kathy told her.

Right as she said this a man walked out of the bathroom in front of Sally. A very naked man.

"Okay." he said. "Not sure, but really, really hoping." He pointed to his waist. "Pants?" he asked.

"No." Sally said, shaking her head.

"Put them on!" Kathy yelled as she rounded the corner. "Put them on! I hate you! What're you thinking? Sorry." she told Sally. "My useless brother." She finally noticed that Sally was really upset and it had nothing to do with what she had just seen. "Sally? What's wrong? What's happened?"

* * *

"Okay!" Kathy said as they hopped the fence. "Let's investigate! You and me, girl investigators. Love it! Hey!" she exclaimed. "Sparrow and Nightingale! That so works!"

"Bit ITV." Sally replied.

"I know!" Kathy said, grinning. "What did you come here for, anyway?" she asked as they made their way through the door.

"I love old things." Sally told her, leading her into the room with the writing. "They make me feel sad."

"What's good about sad?" Kathy asked.

"It's happy for deep people." Sally replied.

She went to stand at the window and Kathy joined her.

"The Weeping Angel." Sally murmured.

Kathy grimaced.

"Not goin' in my garden." she said.

Sally shook her head.

"It's moved." she told her friend.

"It's what?" Kathy asked.

"Since yesterday." Sally told her. "I'm sure of it. It's closer. It's got closer to the house."

Sally walked along the wall to the place where she had torn down the paper.

"How can my name be written here?" she asked. "How is that possible?"

They both jumped as the doorbell rang.

"Who'd come here?" Kathy asked. She grabbed Sally's arm as she moved to the door. "What are you doing?" she asked her in a whisper. "It could be a burglar!"

Sally gave her a look.

"A burglar who rings the doorbell?" she asked.

"Okay." Kathy relented. "I'll stay here in case of…" she trailed off.

"In case of…?" Sally asked.

"…incidents?" Kathy replied with a shrug.

Sally smiled at her friend and walked to the door and opened it. Standing in front of her was a man in a suit.

"I'm looking for Sally Sparrow." he told her.

"How did you know I'd be here?" she demanded.

"I was told to bring this letter, on this date, at this exact time to Sally Sparrow." he replied, showing her the letter.

"Looks old." Sally said.

"It is old." he replied. "I'm sorry, do you have anything with a photograph on it, like a driving license?" he asked.

As Sally and the man talked, Kathy walked around. She looked out at the Weeping Angel, with it's hands covering it's eyes, for a moment, before turning her back on it. She never saw it move it's hands down so they were level with it's mouth.

"How did you know I was coming here?" Sally asked. "I didn't tell anyone. How could anyone have known?"

"It's all a bit complicated." the man told her. "I'm not sure I understand it myself. I'm sorry, I feel really stupid, but I was told to make absolutely sure. It's so hard to tell with these little photographs, isn't it?"

"Apparently." Sally replied as she took the card from him.

Kathy was watching them from the other room, via a mirror. She never noticed as the Angel got closer.

"Well, here goes." he said, handing Sally the envelope. "Funny feeling, after all these years."

"Who's it from?" she asked.

"Well, that's a long story, actually." the man said.

"Gimme a name." Sally demanded.

The Angel was right behind Kathy now, it's hand out stretched towards her.

"Katherine Wainwright." the man told Sally. "But she specified I should tell you that prior to marriage she was called Kathy Nightingale."

There was a loud noise from the other room.

"Kathy?" Sally called.

"Kathy, yes." the man replied, looking confused. "Katherine Costello Nightingale."

"Is this a joke?" Sally asked him.

"A joke?!" he demanded, seeming offended.

"Kathy, is this you?" Sally called, looking for her friend. "Very funny. Kathy?"

* * *

Kathy was no longer in the house. In fact she was standing in the middle of a field and she could hear mooing.

* * *

"Kathy?" Sally called "Kathy?!"

"Please." the man told her, holding out the letter. "You need to take this. I promised."

* * *

Kathy spotted a man sitting on a wall and walked over to him.

"Excuse me?" she asked. "Where am I? I was in London. I was in the middle of London."

"You're in Hull." the man told her.

"No, I'm not." Kathy replied.

"This is Hull." he repeated.

"No, it isn't." she told him.

"You're in Hull." he said.

"I'm not in Hull." she told him sternly. "Stop saying Hull."

* * *

"Who are you?" Sally demanded. "Why are you here?"

"I made a promise." the man told her.

"Who to?" she asked.

"My grandmother." he replied. "Katherine Costello Nightingale."

* * *

"Don't have that in London." the man told Kathy. "There's no call for it. It's all Hull."

He passed her his paper and she spotted the date. December 5th. 1920.

"1920?" she gasped.

* * *

"Your grandmother?" Sally asked him.

"Yes." he replied. "She died twenty years ago."

Sally finally took the letter he was offering and opened it, leafing through the photos inside.

"So they're related?" she asked him.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"My Kathy, your grandmother." she explained. "They're practically identical."

* * *

"Where are you going?" the man called, hopping off the wall as Kathy stalked away.

* * *

_My dearest Sally Sparrow, _Sally read.

_If my grandson has done as he promises he will, then as you read these words it has been mere minutes since we last spoke. For you. For me, it has been over 60 years. The third of the photographs is of my children. The youngest is Sally. I named her after you, of course._

"This is sick!" Sally yelled, throwing the letter and pictures to the ground. "This is totally sick! Kathy? Kathy! Kathy?!"

She ran up the stairs and slowed at the top. In front of her were three Weeping Angels. There was a sound, almost like the sound of fluttering wings, and when she turned around, there was another statue. Turning back she saw that one of them had a key attached to a piece of string, hanging from it's hand. As Sally crouched down to look at it, she didn't notice the Angel behind her stretch out it's hands towards her.

She jumped up as she heard the front door close.

"No, wait!" she called running for the stairs. "Hang on!"

If she had turned around, she would have seen that the Angel holding the key now had it's hand outstretched.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she picked up the letter that the man had left on the rail. She ran out of the house, looking for him, but when she didn't see him, she walked away.

She never saw the Angels watching her from the windows.

A/N: This episode is going to take _forever_! I can just feel it. Anyway, let me know if the way I'm switching back and forth between time periods is working.

Abbey


	64. Blink: Messages in Eggs

Disclaimer: This time I'm not admitting that I don't own Doctor Who. You know what, you can admit you don't own Doctor Who. That's right, I said it.

Ch. 64:

Sally sat in a café, quietly reading the impossible letter.

_I suppose unless I live to a really exceptional old age, I will be long gone as you read this. Don't feel sorry for me. I have led a good and full life. I've loved a good man and been loved in return. You would have liked Ben. He was the very first person I met in 1920.

* * *

_

"Are you following me?" Kathy demanded as she walked through the field.

The man stopped, seeming to consider his answer, before beginning to follow her again.

"Yeah." he said with a grin.

"Are you gonna stop following me?" she asked.

"No," he replied, "I don't think so."

* * *

Sally wandered through a grave yard for awhile before crouching before the one she sought.

_To take on breath in 2007 and the next in 1920 is a strange way to start a new life, but a new life is exactly what I've always wanted._

"1902?" Sally said softly, spotting the dates on the tomb stone. "You told him you were eighteen? You lying cow!"

She slowly got up, placing flowers on the ground, before turning and leaving, never feeling the eyes on her.

* * *

_My mum and dad are gone by your time, so really there's only Lawrence to tell. He works at the DVD store on Queen Street. I don't know what you're going to say to him, but I know you'll think of something. Just tell him I love him._

"Excuse me," Sally said, walking up to the counter of the DVD store. "I'm looking for Lawrence Nightingale."

"Through the back." the man told her, not taking his eyes off the TV.

"Hello?" Sally called as she walked through.

"Martha!" a man on a screen said. The same man from last night.

"Sorry." a young black woman said, walking off screen.

"You should've told him to bite you." another voice said from off screen. It sounded like a woman.

"Lily!" the man called sharply.

"Oh, bite me." the voice called back. "See how it's done?"

The man shook his head before refocusing.

"Quite possibly." he said. "'Fraid so."

"Oh." Larry said as he walked in, spotting Sally. "Hello. Can I help you?"

"Hi." Sally said.

"38." the man on the screen continued.

"Er, just a mo." Larry said, pressing a button. "Hang on. We've met, haven't we?"

Sally just smiled at him.

"It'll come to you." she told him.

Larry stared at her for a moment before his eyes widened.

"Oh, my God!" he said, moving his hands in front of him.

"There it is." Sally said with a smile.

"Sorry." he blabbered. "Sorry again about the whole…"

"Message from your sister." Sally interrupted.

"Oh!" he said, seeming thankful for the subject change. "Okay! What? What is it? What's the message?"

"She's had to go away for a bit." Sally told him.

"Where?" he asked.

"Just a work thing." she lied calmly. "Nothing to worry about."

"Okay." Larry replied.

"And…" Sally trailed off, feeling awkward.

"And what?" Larry pushed.

"She loves you." Sally said quickly.

"She what?!" Larry asked.

"She said to say." Sally replied. "She just sort of mentioned it. She loves you. There, that's nice, isn't it?"

"Is she ill?" Larry asked.

"No!" Sally told him. "No."

"Am I ill?" he asked.

"No!" Sally said quickly.

"Is this a trick?" he demanded.

"No." Sally said. "She love you."

"Yeh…yeah." the man on the screen started talking again. "People don't understand time. It's not what you think it is."

"Who is this guy?" Sally asked.

"Sorry." Larry apologized. "The pause thing keeps slipping. Stupid thing."

"Last night at Kathy's, you had him on those screens." she said. "That same guy. Talking about, I dunno, blinking or something."

"Yeah, the bit about the blinking is great!" Larry told her enthusiastically. "I was checking to see if they were all the same."

"What were the same?" Sally asked. "What is this? Who is he?"

"An Easter egg." Larry told her with a big smile.

"Excuse me?" Sally asked, totally confused.

"Like a DVD extra, yeah?" he told her. "You know how on DVDs they put on, documentaries and stuff? Well, sometimes they put on hidden ones, and they call them Easter Eggs. You have to look for them, follow a bunch of clues in the menu screen."

"Complicated." the video started again.

"Sorry." Larry apologized again, pressing the button again. "It's interesting, actually. He is on seventeen different DVDs. There are seventeen totally unrelated DVDs, all with him on, always hidden away, always a secret. Not even the publishers know how he got there. I've talked to the manufacturers, right? They don't even know. He's like…" he paused, searching for the word, "he's a ghost DVD extra. Just shows up where he's not supposed to be. But only on those. Those seventeen."

"Well, what does he do?" Sally asked.

"Just sits there making random remarks." he told her. "It's like we're hearing half a conversation. Me and the guys are always trying to work out the other half."

"When you say you and the guys," Sally asked with a smirk, "you mean the internet, don't you?"

"How d'you know?" Larry asked, totally missing the point.

"Spooky, isn't it?" She replied with a laugh.

"Very complicated." the man started again.

"Lawrence?" the man from the front shouted. "Need you!"

"'Scuse me a sec." Larry said before leaving her alone with the TV.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect," the man continued, "but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wobbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff."

"Started well, that sentence." Sally joked.

"It got away from me, yeah." he said.

"Okay, that was weird." Sally said. "Like you can hear me."

"Ignore him." a black haired woman said, appearing behind him. "He's a moron. Basically all you have to do is imagine a straight piece of string. That's how humans experience time. Now imagine it in a ball. That's what time really looks like."

The woman turned to the man and grinned at him.

"And you can take your paradoxes and shove it up your-"

"Lily!" he interrupted, pushing her out of frame. "Sorry 'bout her. Anyway, I can hear you."

"Okay, that's enough." Sally said, shutting it off. "I've had enough now. I've had a long day and I've had bloody enough!"

She looked up to see Larry staring at her.

"Sorry." she said, sheepishly. "Bad day."

"Got you the list." he told her, holding out a piece of paper.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"The seventeen DVDs." he explained. "I thought you might be interested."

"Yeah, great, thanks!" she said, quickly grabbing it and shouldering past him.

"Go to the police, you stupid woman!" she heard the man out front yell at the TV as she was leaving. "Why does nobody ever just go to the police?"

* * *

"Because humans are thick!" the Doctor said as Martha asked the same question.

They were sitting on the couch watching some stupid show on the TV.

"That can't be your answer for everything, Doctor." Lily told him as she walked down the stairs.

"Why not?" he asked as he watched her pull on her coat.

"Because." she replied.

She walked over and kissed Martha's cheek before hugging the Doctor goodbye.

"I've got a shift till 3, so don't wait up." she told them.

"Because isn't an answer!" the Doctor shouted after her as she walked out the door.

They had been in 1969 for three weeks and in that time the Doctor had destroyed five toasters, three TVs, a record player, two blenders, and around the fifth day, the refrigerator had just stopped working. After that, Lily and Martha made sure their schedules never overlapped. That way, at least one of them could watch over the Doctor. Now his destruction was at least limited to when they were asleep.

"Hey, Joe." Lily called to the other bar tender as she walked behind the bar.

"'Lo, Lils." he called back, grabbing his jacket to leave. "Have fun." he told her.

Lily grinned at him.

"I always do." she replied.

He grinned back and made his way out the door.

"You're looking tired, Miss Lily." an elderly man said as she refilled his glass.

"That's my punishment for choosing to live with a crazy person, Ben." she told him with a smile.

"You should throw them out, girl." he told her sternly.

"If only it were that simple." Lily told him with a weary smile.

"If what were that simple?" a voice asked.

She turned to find the Doctor and a weary Martha sitting down at the bar.

"Throwing you out." Lily said. "What are you guys doing here?"

Martha sighed.

"He was looking at the new toaster funny, so I decided that it was a good time for a field trip." she told Lily in a tired voice.

Lily glared at the Doctor, who at least had the good sense to look ashamed.

"We do not have the money to replace every appliance in that house, Doctor." she told him sternly.

"I know." he said. "I was just trying to improve the detector."

"The detector works just fine." Lily said. "Except for that whole egg thing. So we just keep it away from hens from now on."

She sighed.

"Look just sit there quietly and I'll let you take apart my hair dryer, all right?" she said.

That seem to brighten him up, making her chuckle.

"Martha, what do you want?" she asked. "It's on the house."

"Just a beer." Martha replied with a smile. "Thanks."

Lily returned the smile and quickly got the beer.

"Hey, honey, how 'bout another?" an obviously drunk man called from down the bar.

Lily took a second to get her temper over being called honey under control and turned to the man.

"I think you've had enough, Matt." she said with forced calm. "Why don't you call it a night?"

"Night's young, gorgeous." the man slurred.

"Well, I'm cutting you off, so either go home, or find another bar that'll server you." she told her sternly.

"I'll go home if you come with me." Matt told her.

She glared full force at him.

"The answer's still the same, Matt." she told him severely. "I would rather spend the night with a pig. At least he would have some manners and would probably know when to stop."

Matt glared at her before slipping off the stool and lurching out the door.

"What was that about?" the Doctor asked.

"Just an ass that comes in every night." Lily told him, cleaning the bar.

The Doctor glared after the man until Lily laid her hand on his.

"He's harmless." she told him with a soft smile. "Just a drunk."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment before nodding.

She smiled and squeezed his hand before returning to her cleaning.

Suddenly a big man came charging through the door.

"I'm so sorry, Lily!" he called, running around the bar. "My girl and I had a fight and I lost track of time and I-"

"It's fine, Sam." Lily told him with a laugh. "I figured you and Jill just lost track of time. I didn't mind. In fact you just missed the nightly throwing out of Matt."

"Too bad." Sam said with a smile. "Some one should just beat the crap out of that guy and get it over with."

"I totally agree, and I'm first in line." Lily replied. "By the way, these are my friends, Martha and the Doctor." she told him, pointing to each in turn.

"The Doctor?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lily shook her head.

"Just…don't ask." she told him. "Just nod your head and go with it."

Sam laughed and held his hand out.

"Nice to meet you, Doctor." he said, shaking the other man's hand.

"Likewise." the Doctor replied, liking the man immediately.

"We're out of peanuts." Lily told Sam a little while later. "You okay while I grab some more?"

"Lily I've been working here on my own for the last year." he told her with a laugh. "I think I can handle five minutes without you."

"Not according to her." The Doctor chimed in. "None of us can. Although, I can decide if it's everyone who can't, or just men."

"Oh, definitely just men." Lily said, making Martha laugh. "I'm sure Martha is perfectly capable of looking out for herself."

"Thanks mate!" Martha laughed.

"You're very welcome." Lily replied before stalking off to the back room.

Shaking her head at the complete mess in front of her, Lily began digging around for peanuts. She jumped as she heard the door click shut behind her.

She turned to find Matt standing behind her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

He murmured something and she sighed.

"What?" she asked. "If you're going to say something, say it."

"You should have said yes." he said, his arm flying out.

* * *

Out on his stool, the Doctor suddenly stiffened. He threw himself off and ran to the room Lily had disappeared into. When he found it shut, he simply threw it open. Inside, he found Lily struggling against the wall as the man from earlier, Matt, held a knife to her throat. The Doctor rushed into the room, throwing the man into the other wall.

Martha ran into the room and gasped at the sight. Lily was holding the Doctor back as Matt laid against the wall, bleeding.

"Martha, get Matt out of here." Lily yelled and Martha quickly complied, hauling the man to his feet and dragging him, semiconscious, out the door.

"Doctor!" Lily shouted to the struggling Time Lord.

She took his face in her hands and held him still.

"Stop this." she told him urgently. "I'm fine. See? I'm fine. He didn't hurt me."

Still the Doctor struggled to get away from her, so she did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him. Hard.

After a moment, she felt him kiss her back. Slowly, he stopped struggling and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, still kissing her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mind fully to him, letting him see that she really was alright.

Eventually, he pulled away, resting his forehead against her's.

"And they say danger follows me around." he said softly.

She chuckled.

"What can I say?" she said. "Maybe it's a Time Lord trait."

She let him hold her for a little while longer before pulling away.

"Are you okay now?" she asked him quietly.

He avoided her eyes.

"I would have killed him." he whispered.

She put her hand on his cheek.

"I'm your bond mate." she said. "Of course you reacted that way. We're programmed to react that way."

"No." he said severely. "He was going to hurt _you._ That's why I reacted that way."

"Oh." Lily said softly. She hesitated a second before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "Well, I'm glad you did." she said softly.

He pulled away from her quickly.

"How can you say that?" he demanded.

"If you hadn't saved me, he would have…hurt me." she told him seriously.

"You could've gotten away." the Doctor said, but she shook her head.

"No, I couldn't." she replied. "Put me in front of a Dalek, or a Weeping Angel, or a Racnoss, or any other creature, and sure, I could blast it from existence, no sweat. But just now, I froze. I couldn't move, Doctor." She reached for him and he let her fold herself in his arms. "I was scared."

"Why?" he asked. "It was just a human."

He felt her shrug her shoulders.

"All those other things, they just want to kill me." Lily tried to explain. "Humans, they're one of the few things in the universe who like to cause pain for the shear pleasure of it. They scare me more than anything."

Martha walked in, hating to interrupt.

"What do you want to do with him?" she asked quietly. "We cleared everyone out. All that's left is him, unconscious on the floor."

Lily sighed.

"Call the police, I guess." she said.

* * *

"Look, I know how mad I'm sounding." Sally told the officer behind the desk.

"Shall we try it from the beginning this time?" the man asked her.

She took a deep breath.

"Okay." she said. "There's this house, a big old house, been empty for years, falling apart. Wester Drumlins, out by the estate. You've probably seen it."

"Wester Drumlins?" the officer questioned.

"Yes." Sally replied.

"Could you just wait here for a minute?" he asked, walking away.

Sally turned and saw two weeping angel statues on the building across the way, but a moment later they were gone.

"Okay, cracking up now." she muttered to herself.

"Hi." a young black man said as he walked out, not really paying attention. "DI Billy Shipton. Wester Drumlins, that's mine. Can't talk to you now, got a thing I can't be late for, so if you could just…"

He finally turned and looked at her.

"Hello!" he told her.

"Hello." Sally replied with a smile.

"Eh, Marcie, can you tell them I'm gonna be late for the thing?" he asked, absently handing over a file, his eyes not leaving Sally.

* * *

"All of them?" Sally asked as DI Shipton showed her a garage full of cars.

"Over the last two years, yeah." he replied. "They all still have personal items in them and a couple still had the motor running."

"So over the last two years, the owners of all these vehicles have driven up to Wester Drumlins House, parked outside and just disappeared." Sally said.

She spotted a large, blue, wooden box.

"What's that?" she asked, walking towards it.

"Ah!" Shipton exclaimed, following her. "The pride of the Wester Drumlins collection. We found that there, too. Somebody's idea of a joke, I suppose."

"But what is it?" Sally asked, running her hand over the front door and down to the lock. "What's a police box?"

"Well, it's a special kind of phone box for policemen." he told her. "They used to have them all over. But this isn't a real one. The phone's just a dummy, and the windows are the wrong size. We can't even get in it. Ordinary Yale lock, but nothing fits. But that's not the big question." he told her. "See you're missing the big question."

"Okay." she replied. "What's the big question?"

"Will you have a drink with me?" he asked with a grin.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Drink, you, me, now?" he reiterated.

"Aren't you on duty, Detective Inspector Shipton?" she asked him.

"Nope." he replied, grin still firmly in place. "Knocked off before I left. Told 'em I had a family crisis."

"Why?" Sally asked him.

"Because life is short and you are hot." he told her. "Drink?"

"No." Sally replied.

"Ever?" he asked.

"Maybe." she told him with a smile.

"Phone number?" he asked.

"Moving kind of fast, DI Shipton." she said.

"Billy." he replied. "I'm off duty."

"Aren't you just!" she said.

She took out a notebook and pen and began writing.

"Is that your phone number?" he asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Just my phone number." she told him, ripping it out and handing it to him. "Not a promise. Not a guarantee. Not an IOU. Just a phone number."

"And that's Sally…?" he asked.

"Sally Shipton." she replied, instantly reddening. "Sparrow! Sally Sparrow."

She quickly turned and walked away.

"I'm going now." she said swiftly. "Don't look at me."

"I'll phone you!" Bill called after her.

"Don't look at me." she called back.

"Phone you tomorrow." he called.

"Don't look at me." she repeated.

"Might even phone you tonight." he shouted.

"Don't look at me!" she shouted back, almost to the door.

"Definitely gonna phone you, gorgeous girl!" he yelled.

"You definitely better!" she called as she walked out the door.

Bill smiled to himself, turning around and stopping. The blue box was now surrounded by four stone angels. He walked up to them, confused.

All it took was one blink.

A second later, Sally ran back in, the key from the house dangling in her hand. All she found was an empty garage full of cars. The blue box and Billy were gone.

* * *

Billy hit a wall and slid to the ground.

"Welcome." a man in a long coat called as he walked towards him, flanked by two women and holding a strange device.

"Where am I?" Billy asked.

"1969." the pale, black haired girl told him. "Not to bad. You've got the moon landing to look forward to."

The man climbed over the railing to sit next to Billy, the pale girl leaned against it and the other stood behind her.

"Oh, the moon landing's brilliant." the other woman said. "We went four times. Back when we had transport…"

She glared at the man.

"Working on it!" he groused.

"Yeah, well if it weren't for you, we would still have transport!" the pale girl told him.

"How did I get here?" Billy asked.

"The same way we did." the man told him. "The touch of an angel. Same one, probably, since you ended up in the same year."

Billy tried to stand up, but he pulled him back down.

"No, no, no, no, no, don't get up." he told him. "Time travel without a capsule, nasty. Catch your breath, don't go swimming for half an hour."

"I don't." Billy protested weakly. "I can't."

"Fascinating race, the Weeping Angels." the man continued, ignoring him. "The only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely. No mess, no fuss, they just zap you into the past and let you live to death. The rest of your life used up and blown away in the blink of an eye. You die in the past, and in the present they consume the energy of all the days you might have had, all your stolen moments. They're creatures of the abstract. They live off potential energy."

"What in God's name are you talking about?" Billy demanded.

"Trust me." the dark woman told him. "Just nod when he stops for breath."

"Hey that's not fair." the pale woman protested. "That's the most lucid he's been all day."

"Tracked you down with this." the man continued, ignoring them all. "This is my timey wimey detector. Goes ding when there's stuff. Also, it can boil an egg at 30 paces, whether you want it to or not, actually, so I've stay away from hens."

"It's really not pleasant when they explode." the pale woman said, shuddering.

"I don't understand." Billy said. "Where am I?"

"1969." the dark woman told him. "Just like they said."

"Normally, we'd offer you a lift home, but someone got our ride stolen." the pale woman told him.

"So we need you to take a message to Sally Sparrow." the man told him, he expression turning very serious. "And I'm sorry, Billy. I am very, very sorry. It's gonna take you awhile."

A/N: Ok, so I hope an extra long chapter makes up for not updating. Let me know, blah, blah, blah. You know what to do.

Abbey


	65. Blink: Advice From Friends at the End

Disclaimer: I own everything. Take that copyright lawyers.

Ch. 65:

Sally walked back out on to the street, unsure of what to do now, when her phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked. "Billy, where are you? Where?"

* * *

Sally walked into the sterile room and up to the only occupied bed.

"Billy?" she called softly.

When there was no movement, she turned to the window to look out at the rain.

"It was raining when we met." she heard a voice say.

She turned back to find Billy looking at her.

"It's the same rain." she replied.

* * *

"She looks nice." Sally said, looking down at the wedding photo.

"Her name was Sally, too." Billy told her.

"Sally Shipton." Sally said with a smile.

"Sally Shipton." Billy agreed with a matching smile. "I often thought about looking for you before tonight, but apparently it would've torn a hole in the fabric of space and time and destroyed tow thirds of the universe." He chuckled to himself. "Also I'd lost my hair." he told her.

"Two thirds of the universe." Sally murmured. "Where'd you get that?"

"This man in 1969." Billy told her. "Although one of the women with him seem to be convinced it was more like two fifths. They sent me with a message for you."

"What man?" Sally asked.

"The Doctor." he told her.

"And what was the message?" she asked.

"Just this." he replied. "Look at the list."

"What does that mean?" Sally demanded. "Is that it, look at the list?"

"He said you'd have it by now." Billy told her. "A list of seventeen DVD's."

Sally pulled the list Larry had given her out of her pocket.

"I didn't stay a policeman back then." Billy told her. "Lily, one of the Doctor's friends, she created a new life for me. Got me into publishing. Then video publishing. Then DVDs, of course."

"You put the Easter Egg on?" Sally asked him with a smile.

"Have you noticed what all seventeen DVDs have in common yet?" he asked her. "I suppose it's hard for you, in a way."

"How could the Doctor have even known I had a list?" she asked. "I only just got this."

"I asked him how," Billy told her, "but he said he couldn't tell me. He said you'd understand it one day, but that I never would."

"Soon as I understand, I'll come and tell you." Sally promised.

"No, gorgeous girl, you can't." he told her. "There's only tonight. He told me, all those years ago, that we'd only meet again this one time. On the night I die."

"Oh, Billy." Sally whispered.

"It's kept me going." he told her. "I'm an old, sick man. But I've had something to look forward to." He chuckled sadly. "Ah, life is long, and you are hot."

She smiled at him and took one of his hands in hers.

"Oh, look at my hands." he said, looking at their joined hands. "They're old man's hands. How did that happen?"

"I'll stay." Sally told him. "I'm going to stay with you, okay?"

"Thank you, Sally Sparrow." he told her. "I have till the rain stops."

* * *

"It makes me sad." Lily said.

She was sitting on the couch next to the Doctor as Martha got Billy up to speed on current events.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"Him." Lily said, nodding to the new man. "He's going to spend the rest of his life waiting to meet the woman who could have been, and it's our fault." She shook her head. "It makes my heart hurt."

"I know." the Doctor said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she laid her head on his shoulder.

They sat there in silence as time moved forward.

* * *

"Banto's." Larry said as he picked up the phone.

"They're mine." Sally said without preamble.

"What?" he asked.

"The DVDs on the list." she told him. "The seventeen DVDs. What they've got in common is me. They're all the DVDs I own. The Easter Egg was intended for me!"

"You've only got seventeen DVDs?" Larry asked, flabbergasted.

"Do you have a portable DVD player?" Sally asked, ignoring him.

"Course." he replied. "Why?"

"I want you to meet me." Sally told him.

"Where?" he asked.

"Wester Drumlins." she told him.

* * *

"You live in Scooby Doo's house." Larry told her as she opened the door to let him in.

"For God's sake, I don' t live here." she told him.

"Okay," he said as he set everything up in the room with the writing on the wall. "This is the one with the clearest sound. Slightly better picture quality on this one, but I don't-"

"Doesn't matter." Sally told him, interrupting.

"Okay." Larry said, cueing up the video. "There he is."

"The Doctor." Sally said softly.

"Who's the Doctor?" Larry asked.

"He's the Doctor." Sally said, pointing to the screen.

"Yep, that's me." the video replied.

"Okay, that was scary." Sally said.

"No, it sounds like he's replying, but he always says that." Larry told her.

"Yes, I do." the Doctor said.

"And that." Larry said.

"Yep, and this." the Doctor continued.

"He can hear us." Sally said. "Oh, my God, you can really hear us!"

"Of course he can't hear us." Larry said. "Look! I've got a transcript, see, everything he says. 'Yep, that's me', 'Yes, I do', 'Yep, and this'. Next it's…"

"Are you going to read out the whole thing?" Both Larry and the Doctor said together.

"Sorry." Larry muttered.

"Who are you?" Sally asked the video.

"I'm a time traveler." the Doctor told her. "Or, I was. I'm stuck in 1969."

"We're stuck!" a young black woman interrupted, appearing on screen. "All of space and time, he promised me. Now I've got a job in a shop, and Lily's working as a bar maid! We've got to support him!"

"Martha!" the Doctor rebuked.

"Sorry." she replied, moving out of frame.

"You should've told him to bite you." a voice said from off screen.

"Lily!" the Doctor said sharply.

"Oh, bite me." the voice, Lily presumably, called back. "See how it's done?"

The Doctor just shook his head.

"I've seen this bit before." Sally said.

"Quite possibly." the Doctor replied.

"1969." she said. "That's where you're talking from?"

"'Fraid so." the Doctor answered.

"But you're replying to me." Sally pointed out. "You can't know exactly what I'm gonna say forty years before I say it!"

"Thirty eight." the Doctor corrected.

"I'm getting this down!" Larry said excitedly. "I'm writing in your bits."

"How?" Sally demanded. "How is this possible? Tell me!"

"People don't understand time." the Doctor told her. "It's not what you think it is."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

"Complicated." was his response.

"Tell me." Sally demanded.

"Very complicated." the Doctor replied.

"I'm clever and I'm listening." Sally told him. "And don't patronize me because people have died, and I'm not happy. Tell me."

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect," the Doctor told her, "but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey…stuff."

"Yeah, I've seen this bit before." Sally said. "You said that sentence got away from you."

"It got away from me, yeah." he agreed.

"Ignore him." the black haired woman, who Sally assumed was Lily, said as she appeared on screen. "He's a moron. Basically, all you have to do is imagine a straight piece of string. That's how humans experience time. Now, imagine it in a ball. That's what time really looks like."

Lily turned to the Doctor, grinning.

"And you can take your paradoxes and shove it up your-"

"Lily!" the Doctor interrupted, shoving her out of frame. "Sorry 'bout her."

"I've seen this bit, too." Sally said. "Next you're going to say 'Anyway, I can hear you'."

"Anyway, I can hear you." the Doctor agreed.

"This isn't possible." Sally objected.

"No, it's brilliant!" Larry practically gushed.

"Not hear you exactly," the Doctor told her, "but I know everything you're going to say."

"Always gives me the shivers, that bit." Larry said.

"How can you know what I'm going to say?" Sally asked.

"Look to your left." was all the Doctor said.

Sally did as he said and saw Larry writing away.

"What does he mean by, 'Look to your left'?" Larry asked, not noticing her staring at him. "I've written tons about that on the forums. I think it's a political statement."

"He means you." Sally told him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm writing in your bits." Larry told her, showing her the transcript. "So I've got a complete transcript of the whole conversation. Wait until this hits the net. This will explode the egg forums."

"I've got a copy of the finished transcript." the Doctor told her. "It's on my Autocue."

"How can you have a copy of the finished transcript?" Sally asked him. "It's still being written."

"I told you." the Doctor replied. "I'm a time traveler. I got it in the future."

"He means your future." Lily told her, appearing on screen again. "Our past, your future."

"Lily." the Doctor sighed.

"What?" she asked defensivly. "I'm just clarifying. Not everyone can follow your trains of thought. I'm the best at it and I still have trouble most of the time."

"Okay, let me get my head 'round this." Sally said as Lily left the screen again. "You're reading from a transcript of a conversation you're still having." She shook her head. "Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey. Actually, never mind that." She turned back to Larry. "You can do shorthand?" she asked.

"So?" he replied.

"What matters is, we can communicate." the Doctor said. "We have got big problems now. They've take the blue box, haven't they?" he asked. "The angels have the phone box."

"The angels have the phone box!" Larry gushed. "That's my favorite. I've got that on a tee-shirt!"

"What do you mean, angels?" Sally asked, ignoring him. "You mean those statue things?"

"Creatures from another world." the Doctor told her.

"But they're just statues." Sally protested.

"Only when you see them." the Doctor replied.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Lonely assassins, they were called." he explained. "No-one knows where they came from. They're as old as the universe, or very nearly. They've survived this long as they have the most perfect defense system ever evolved. They're quantum locked. They don't exist when being observed. The moment they're seen by any other living creature they freeze into rock. No choice. It's a fact of their biology. In the sight of any living thing, they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. Course, a stone can't kill you either. But then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh, yes it can."

Sally looked up to see the angel looking through the window.

"Don't take your eyes off that." Sally told Larry slowly.

"That's why they cover their eyes." the Doctor continued. "They're not weeping, they can't risk looking at each other. Their greatest asset is their greatest curse. They can never be seen. The loneliest creatures in the universe. And I'm sorry, I am very, very sorry, it's up to you now."

"What am I supposed to do?" Sally asked.

"The blue box, it's my time machine." the Doctor told her. "There's a world of time energy in there they could feast on forever. The damage they can do can switch off the sun. You've got to send it back to me!"

"How?" Sally demanded. "How?"

"And that's it, I'm afraid." the Doctor said. "There's no more from you on the transcript, that's all I've got. I dunno what stopped you talking, but I can guess. They're coming. The angels are coming for you. But listen, your life could depend on this. Don't blink! Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink! Good luck."

The video stopped.

"No, don't!" Sally shouted. "You can't!"

"I'll rewind him!" Larry said, getting up and starting to mess with the player.

"What good would that do?" Sally demanded, but then she stopped. "You're not looking at the statue." she pointed out.

"Neither are you." Larry replied.

They looked to see that the angel was now much closer, it's face contorted into a horrible mask.

"Keep looking at it." Sally ordered. "Keep looking at it!"

"There's just one, right." Larry said, doing as she said. "There's just this one. We're okay if we keep staring at this one statue, everything's gonna be fine."

"There's three more." Sally told him.

"Three?" he yelled.

"They were upstairs." Sally told him. "I think I heard them moving."

"Where?" Larry asked. "Three, moving where?"

"I'll look around." Sally told him. "I'm going to check. Keep looking at this one, don't blink. Remember what he said, don't even blink!"

"Who blinks?" Larry asked as she walked away quickly. "I'm too scared to blink."

Sally quickly ran up the stairs to find the angels gone. She ran back down stairs to Larry.

"Okay." she said looking around. "We're going to the door. Front door."

Seeing a problem, she quickly revised.

"Okay. We can't both get to the front door without taking our eyes off that thing." she told him. "You stay here."

"What?" Larry yelped.

"I'll be just round the corner, stay here!" she called, running to the door.

When she reached it, she tugged, but it stayed shut.

"They've locked it!" she yelled. "They've locked us in!"

"Why?" Larry yelled back.

"I've got something they want." Sally told him, coming back to the room.

"What?" Larry asked.

"The key." she replied. "I took it last time I was here. They followed me to get it back. I led them to the blue box. Now they've got that!"

"Give them the key!" Larry said.

"I'm gonna check the back door, you wait here." Sally said, running off again.

"Give them the key, give them what they want!" Larry called after her. "Sally, no, what if they come behind me?"

"Hang on!" Sally yelled.

"Oh, God!" Larry whispered. "Oh, God!"

"It's locked!" Sally yelled.

Larry quickly glanced behind him and when he turned back the angel was right in front of him.

"Sally!" he yelled. "Sally!"

"It won't open!" Sally yelled, pulling on the door.

"Sally, please, I can't do this!" Larry shouted. "Sally, hurry up! Where are you?"

Sally ran through the rooms and spotted a door under the stairs.

"Larry!" she yelled. "They've blocked off the back door, but there's a cellar. There might be a way out, delivery hatch or something."

"I'm coming!" he yelled back. "I can't stay here."

He back up as far as he could before turning and running.

He joined Sally at the bottom of the stairs to find three angels surrounding the blue box.

"Okay, boys." Sally said softly. "I know how this works. You can't move so long as I can see you. Whole world in the box, the Doctor says. Hope he's not lying, 'cause I don't see how else we're getting out."

She looked behind them.

"Oh, and there's your one." she said to Larry.

He whipped around and kept his eyes on it while Sally watched the rest.

"Why is it pointing at the light?" Larry asked slowly.

The light suddenly flickered. The Angels moved.

"Oh, my God!" Sally moaned. "It's turning out the lights!"

They ran for the blue box. With every flicker of the lights, the Angels moved.

"Quickly!" Larry yelled as Sally fumbled with the door.

"I can't find the lock!" she yelled back.

"Sally, hurry up!" Larry told her. "Get it open! They're getting faster, Sally, come on!"

"It won't turn!" she told him.

"Sally!" Larry yelled.

The lock turned and they both tumbled into the TARDIS.

Suddenly a blue hologram of the Doctor appeared on the upper catwalk.

"This is security protocol 712." it said. "This time capsule has detected the presence of an authorized control disc, valid one journey."

Sally and Larry exchanged a confused look. Suddenly, Larry remembered the disc in his pocket. He pulled it out and opened it to find the disc glowing.

"Please insert the disc and prepare for departure." the hologram told them.

They ran to the console and began looking for a place to put the disc.

"Looks like a DVD player." Sally said, pointing. "There's a slot."

Outside, the Angels began to rock the TARDIS.

"They're trying to get in!" Larry moaned.

"Well, hurry up then!" Sally shouted.

Larry slid the disc in and the engines started to move. The TARDIS began to dematerialize around them.

"What's happening?" Larry asked.

"Oh, my God!" Sally said. "It's leaving us behind! Doctor, no, you can't! Doctor!"

Larry and Sally huddled on the floor as the TARDIS left.

"Look at them!" Sally shouted the moment it was gone. "Quick, look at them!"

Larry stood up slowly.

"I don't think we need to." he told her.

Standing in a circle were the Angels, their faces uncovered. Staring right at each other.

"He tricked them." Larry said in amazement. "The Doctor tricked them. They're looking at each other. They're never gonna move again."

* * *

Lily stood behind the bar, laughing at the Doctor's antics while Martha just shook her head, smiling a soft smile. Lily broke off, though, when she felt a presence in her mind she hadn't felt for four and a half long months.

"She did it!" she whispered.

She ran around the bar and threw her arms around the Doctor and he lifted her up, spinning her as he went, while Martha let out a sigh of relief.

"Sam, I quit!" Lily yelled, laughing.

The three time travelers took the next day to get everything situated before making their way to a park a half a mile away from where they had been staying.

"Oh, how I've missed you." the Doctor said, stroking the side of the blue time machine.

_If you ever do that again, Theta,_ the TARDIS told him, _I will find a way to drop you in a neutron star, am I understood?_

"I'll help." Lily said, opening the door.

"Everyone picks on me." the Doctor whined as Martha walked in, laughing at him as she went.

"So where to now?" the Doctor asked as he walked up to the console.

"I think there's someone we should thank, don't you?" Lily asked him.

He smiled and hit a few buttons.

* * *

"Can you mind the shop?" Larry asked Sally as he walked up the front. "I'm just nipping next door for some milk."

"Yeah, no worries." Sally replied, slipping some papers into a folder.

"What's this?" he asked, taking it from her.

"Nothing." she said.

He looked inside and sighed.

"Sally, can't you let it go?" he asked.

"Of course I can't let it go!" she told him, grabbing it back.

"This is over." he told her.

"How did the Doctor know where to write the words on the wall?" Sally asked him. "How could he get the transcript? Where did he get all that information from?"

"Look, some things you never find out." Larry told her. "And that's okay."

"No, it isn't." Sally replied.

"Ever think this might be getting in the way of…other things?" he asked her.

"We just run a shop together." Sally told him, refusing to look him in the eye. "That's all it is, just a shop."

Larry let it go.

"Anyway…" he said. "Milk. Back in a mo."

Larry walked out and Sally watched him go. Right as he left her sight, a cab pulled up and Martha, Lily, and the Doctor clambered out.

Sally jumped up and ran out.

"Doctor!" she yelled. "Doctor! Doctor!"

"Hello!" he called. "Sorry, bit of a rush, there's a sort of thing happening, fairly important we stop it."

"My God, it's you, it really is you." Sally breathed. "Oh, you don't remember me, do you?"

"Doctor, as much as I encourage talking to random people on the street, we really don't have time for this." a woman said as she ran back. Sally realized it was Lily. "The migration's started." she told the Doctor.

"Look, sorry, I've got a bit of a complex life." the Doctor told Sally. "Things don't always happen to me in order. Gets confusing, especially at weddings. I'm rubbish at weddings, especially my own."

"Oh, my God!" Sally said. "Of course, you're a time traveler. It hasn't happened yet! None of it, it's still in your future!"

"Migration'll wait." Lily said.

"What hasn't happened?" the Doctor asked Sally.

"Doctor, Lily!" Martha called. "Twenty minutes to red hatching!"

"It was me." Sally said to herself. "Oh, for God's sake, it was me all along. You got it all from me!"

"Got what?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"Okay, listen." Sally told him. "One day you're going to get stuck in 1969."

"Oh, for the love of God, not again." Lily moaned.

"No corsets this time." the Doctor consoled her.

"Ooo, '69." Lily said, smiling. "No bras."

Sally smiled as the Doctor just stared at Lily.

She handed him the folder.

"Make sure you've got this with you." she told the Doctor. "You're going to need it."

"Doctor!" Martha called.

"Okay, I lied." Lily said with a wince. "The migration won't wait."

"Yeah, listen, listen, got to dash…things happening." the Doctor told Sally. "Well, four things. Well, four things and a lizard."

"Okay." Sally said with a smile. "No worries, on you go. See you around, some day."

The Doctor and Lily ran off, but the Doctor paused and turned back.

"What was you name?" he asked her.

"Sally Sparrow." she told him.

"Good to meet you, Sally Sparrow." the Doctor replied.

Larry walked up and spotted the Doctor. He stared at him, dumbstruck as Sally took his hand.

"Goodbye, Doctor." Sally called before leading Larry back inside.

* * *

The Doctor, Lily, and Martha watched from the coroner as their other selves ran off.

"Come on." the Doctor said, leading them up to Sparrow and Nightingale.

"It was me all along!" Sally was telling Larry as they walked in.

"And we're very glad you did." Lily said with a smile, surprising them.

"But I just-" Sally said.

"Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey." the Doctor said.

Lily reached up and slapped his head.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"I told you not to use that phrase around me ever again, didn't I?" Lily asked him crossly.

"We just wanted to say thanks." Martha said, forestalling anymore argument.

"Yeah, we would have come sooner," Lily told them, "but you had to meet that version first."

"So it all turned out alright?" Sally asked.

"Yeah." the Doctor told her with a smile. "You did brilliantly."

"We'll let you get back to your lives." Lily told them. "We just wanted to make sure you knew how grateful we were."

"You're very welcome." Sally told them.

The Doctor nodded before taking Lily's hand and leading her and Martha out.

"So." the Doctor said as they walked down the street to the TARDIS. "Where to next?"

* * *

_Don't blink! Blink and you're dead! Don't turn you back, don't look away, and don't blink! Good luck!_

A/N: Blink is done! Three more episodes and this season is done. I've decided to split this into a second story for season four. What do you guys think it should be called?

Abbey


	66. Utopia: Old Meets New

Disclaimer: Okay, fine, I don't own Doctor Who. (Except I do.)

Ch. 66:

"Cardiff." the Doctor said as he shut down the engines.

"Cardiff?" Martha asked.

"Ah, but the thing about Cardiff is that it's built on a rift in time and space." the Doctor explained. "Just like California and the San Andreas Fault. The rift bleeds energy. Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel."

"So it's a pit stop." Martha said.

"Piece of crap!" Lily yelled.

The other two looked over to where she sat, cross legged on the floor, messing with her phone and the sonic screwdriver.

"Problem?" the Doctor asked calmly.

"I think I finally killed this thing." Lily said morosely, holding up the phone that had traveled from her reality with her.

"Give it here." the Doctor told her, holding out his hand. "Why are you so worried about this?"

"I wanted to check in with Jack before we took off, considering we parked right on top of his base." Lily told him, leaning on the console next to him.

"You could just use the TARDIS phone." the Doctor pointed out.

Lily murmured something.

"What was that?" he asked with a grin.

"I don't know the number, alright?" Lily said crossly. "I need that thing to get the number."

The Doctor just laughed.

"Wait a minute." Martha said. "They had a earthquake in Cardiff a couple years ago. Was that you?"

"Bit of trouble with the Slitheen." the Doctor said. "Long time ago. Lifetimes. I was a different man back then."

He handed the phone back to Lily.

"Sorry, but you really have killed it this time." he told her.

"I told you that ten minutes ago." Lily said, annoyed, as she took it from him.

"You can come see him next time we're on Earth." he consoled her. "And you can get a new phone."

"I guess." Lily agreed.

A bell dinged and the Doctor hit a button.

"Finito." he said. "All powered up."

Suddenly the TARDIS rocked and they were thrown to the ground as the console exploded in a shower of sparks.

"What the hell?" Lily yelled, leveraging herself up to look at the screen.

"What's that?" Martha shouted as she clung to the console.

"We're accelerating into the future." the Doctor said. "The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. Fifty trillion." He stared at the screen. "What? The year 100 trillion. That's impossible!"

"Why?" Martha asked. "What happens then?"

"The end." Lily said staring at the screen.

"We're going to the end of the universe." the Doctor told them.

* * *

The TARDIS landed with a thud.

"Well, we've landed." the Doctor said.

"Thanks for the update, oh wise one." Lily said sarcastically.

"So, what's out there?" Martha asked.

"I don't know." the Doctor said.

"Say that again." Martha said with a smile. "That's rare."

"Actually, TARDIS, did you get a recording of that?" Lily called.

She frowned.

"What's up with you?" she asked the ship. "So we're at the end of the universe, no need for a breakdown."

Lily and the Doctor exchanged a look, and Lily shrugged.

"Not even the Time Lords came this far." the Doctor said. "We should leave. We should go. WE should really, really…go."

They stood in silence for a moment.

"I'll race you." Lily said.

They all took off for the door.

Martha made it out a second before the other two.

"Oh, my God!" Martha said, running to a man laying on the ground, not moving. "Can't get a pulse. Hold on-you've got that medical kit thing."

She ran back inside while Lily and the Doctor just watched the man.

"We killed Jack." Lily said softly. "He's really not going to be happy. And Ianto's going to cut off my coffee supply."

"At least it explains why the TARDIS reacted the way she did." the Doctor said. "Jack hasn't been near her since…She reacted the way any normal time sensitive being would have."

"Here we go." Martha said as she rushed back out, medical kit in hand. "Out of the way." she called, shoving the Doctor. "It's a bit odd, though. Not very 100 trillion-that coat's more like World War II."

"I think he came with us." the Doctor told her.

"How d'you mean?" Martha asked. "From Earth?"

"He must have clung to the outside of the TARDIS all the way through the vortex." Lily said. "Idiot. I couldn't even survive that. Never mind, that sounds just like him."

"What?" Martha asked. "Do you know him?"

"You could say that." Lily said with a chuckle.

"Friend of ours." the Doctor told her. "Used to travel with me. Back in the old days."

"But he's-I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat." Martha told them. "There's nothing. He's dead."

"Oh, just give him a moment." Lily said with a smirk.

"What do you-"

She cut off as Jack gasped as he came back to life. He grabbed Martha and she screamed.

"Oh, well, so much for me." she gasped. "It's all right. Just breath deep. I've got you now."

"Captain Jack Harkness." he said with a smile. "And who are you?"

"Martha Jones." she replied.

"Nice to meet you, Martha Jones." Jack said with a smile.

"Oh, don't start!" the Doctor moaned.

"I'm gonna tell Ianto." Lily said in a sing song voice.

"I was just saying hello." Jack protested.

"I don't mind." Martha told him.

She helped him to his feet and he glared at Lily and the Doctor, while Lily shifted nervously and the Doctor stared right back.

"Doctor." he said coldly. "Lily."

"Captain." the Doctor replied.

"Jack…" Lily started, but Jack interrupted.

"You guys couldn't wait ten seconds?" he demanded.

"It wasn't our fault!" Lily whined.

"I just rode the TARDIS through the time vortex." Jack pointed out. "I'm going to need better than 'It wasn't our fault'."

"The TARDIS reacted the way the Doctor reacted." Lily explained. "We didn't even know what was going on until we found you!" She clasped her hands together, begging. "Please don't let Ianto cut me off!"

Jack stared at her.

"I die and all you're worried about is being cut off by your coffee supplier?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, but you get better." Lily pointed out. "And I can't survive without Ianto's coffee."

"You-!" Jack said.

Lily laughed and threw herself into his arms. He lifted her up, spinning her around.

"I wanted to call while we were in Cardiff." Lily babbled. "But my phone finally died so I decided to put it off till next time. You should have called the TARDIS!"

"I wanted to make it a surprise." Jack said, setting her on her feet.

"Wait, Jack?" Martha interrupted. "As in, Jack?"

"Yep, this is him." Lily said proudly.

"Good to see you, Jack." the Doctor said, giving him a hug.

"You too." Jack said, warmly.

When he let go, Jack sighed.

"I wanted to invite you guys to a thing I thought I'd have in a couple weeks." Jack told them. "That's why I was coming up. Also I wanted to give you something."

"What's the thing?" Lily asked.

"It's the anniversary of Canary Warf." Jack said. "I though you two might wanna have a drink to remember those lost there. To remember Rose."

The Doctor looked away, but looked back when Lily took his hand, smiling up at him.

"We'd love to." Lily told Jack. "Someone should remember what Rose gave up, and that's on us."

Jack nodded.

"Good old Rose." Martha muttered, too softly for the others to notice.

* * *

"So there I was, stranded in the year 200,100, ankle-deep in Dalek dust, and he goes off without me." Jack was telling Martha as they walked on. The Doctor and Lily walked hand in hand a little ways away. "But I had this." he told her, tapping the device on his wrist. "I used to be a Time Agent. It's called a vortex manipulator." He glared at the Doctor. "He's not the only one who can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me." the Doctor said. "That is not time travel. It's like I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper."

"Boys and their toys." Martha said laughing.

"That reminds me." Lily said crossly. "One of your Time Agent buddies got their vortex manipulator stolen and got our asses chased all over time and space by the Family of Blood. I was stuck in 1913 for three months. I want a list of people who might have had one so I can track them down and take three months of corset wearing out of their hide."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that." Jack told her.

He turned back to Martha.

"Alright, so I bounced." Jack told her. "I thought, '21st century, best place to find the Doctor', except that I got it a little wrong. I arrived in 1869 and this thing burnt out so it was useless."

"Told you." the Doctor said smugly.

"I had to live through the entire 20th century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me." Jack complained.

"That make you more than 100 years old." Martha gasped.

"And looking good, don't 'cha think?" Jack said with a smile. "So I went to the time rift, base myself there 'cause I knew he'd come back to refuel. Then, a few month ago, he shows up with this little nightmare in tow." he said, pointing at Lily, who just stuck her tongue out at him. "I actually owe hooking back up with him to her. She knew that I was one of the few people who could begin to understand how she felt, being forced from her reality to this one, and insisted that the Doctor come find me."

"But the thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?" Martha asked.

"I was busy." the Doctor said simply.

"Is that what happens, though?" she demanded. "Seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?"

"In the past I would have said 'not if you're blonde'." Jack told her. "But I think you'd have to add black hair to that list now."

Lily actually blushed while the Doctor glared at Jack.

"Oh, she was blonde?" Martha said sarcastically. "Oh, what a surprise."

"You two!" the Doctor burst out. "We're at the end of the universe, alright? We're at the edge of knowledge itself and you're busy…blogging!"

Lily laid her hand on his arm and he calmed down.

"Come on." he said finally.

He led them to the edge of a canyon and they looked out on a vast network of catacombs.

"Is that a city?" Martha asked.

"A city of a hive." the Doctor agreed. "Or a next or a conglomeration. Looks like it was grown. But look there." He pointed. "That's like pathways, roads…Must have been some sort of life. Long ago."

"What killed it?" Martha wanted to know.

"Time." was the Doctor's answer. "Just time. Everything dying now."

He watched as Lily pulled away, her eyes shut. He exchanged a glance with Jack, who just shrugged. The Doctor turned back to Martha, sure that Jack would keep an eye on Lily.

"All the great civilizations have gone." he told her. He looked up at the sky. "This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

"The vortex is even collapsing." Lily called from where she now stood, her eyes still closed. "I can feel it. It's so old. It just wants to rest." She opened her eyes and looked at the Doctor. "I can barely draw any power from it."

He held out his hand to her, aware of how vulnerable that would make her feel. She walked back to him and wrapped her arms around him. He wrapped his around her but not before seeing Jack give them a knowing look over Lily's head.

"It must have an atmospheric shell." he said, letting the moment pass, which earned him a nod from the Doctor. "We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Martha and I, probably." the Doctor agreed. "Lily, maybe. Not so sure about you, Jack."

"What about the people?" Martha asked. "Does no one survive?"

"I suppose we have to hope." the Doctor told her, letting go of Lily, but grabbing her hand and holding it tightly. "Life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doin' too bad." Jack said, pointing.

Below them they saw a man running from a mob.

"Ok, call me crazy," Lily said.

"Crazy." Jack piped up.

She glared at him.

"As I was saying, is it me, or does that look like a hunt to anyone else?" she asked.

"Come on!" the Doctor said.

They took off running towards the man.

"Oh, I've missed this!" Jack called as they ran along one of the paths.

Lily glanced back, laughing.

They reached the man and Jack grabbed hold of him.

"I've got you." he told him.

"We've gotta run!" the man told them. "They're coming! They're coming!"

Jack passed the man to the Doctor and pulled out his revolver and Lily pulled out her dagger.

"Nice knife." Jack said with a grin.

"Thanks." Lily said with an answering grin. "My brother gave it to me."

Jack's grin got bigger.

"Jack, Lily, don't you dare!" The Doctor rebuked them.

Jack grumbled but raised his gun in the air and fired off a shot, causing the pack to stop.

"What the hell are they?" Martha demanded.

"There's more of them." the man told them. "We've got to keep going."

"I've got a ship nearby." the Doctor told him. "It's safe. It's not far, it's just over there."

He turned to look back and found more of the pack cutting them off.

"Or maybe not." he said, turning back.

"We're close to the silo." the man told them. "If we get to the silo, then we're safe."

"Silo?" the Doctor asked the others.

"Silo." Jack agreed.

"Silo for me." Martha said.

The Doctor turned to Lily and she sighed.

"Oh, please." she said before dragging him in the direction the man indicated.

They ran straight for a gate surrounded by guards.

"It's the Futurekind!" the man yelled. "Open the gate!"

"Show me your teeth!" a guard demanded. "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"

"Oh, for God's sake." Lily said, waving her hand at the gate.

There was a flash of gold and the gate opened, pushing the guards far enough back that the group could slip through.

"Now you can check our teeth to your hearts content." Lily told them crossly. "You can give them a cleaning for all I care."

She started to wobble on her feet and the Doctor caught her as she collapsed. Jack rushed to her side.

"Show me your teeth!" the guards demanded as they pointed their guns at them. Others closed the gate behind them.

The five did as they asked, Lily adding a weak rude gesture.

"They're human." one guard concluded and the others lowered their guns.

Lily was holding her head between her hands as she kneeled on the ground, moaning in pain. Jack and the Doctor exchanged a look over her head.

"Human." the heard one of the pack growl. "Human. Make feast."

"Go back to where you came from." one of the guards ordered. "I said go back! Go back!"

He aimed his gun at them.

"Oh, don't tell him to put down his gun." Jack complained.

"He's not my responsibility." the Doctor replied crossly.

"And I am?" Jack scoffed. "That makes a change."

"No fighting!" Lily said, laying a hand on both their chests and pushing gently. "My head hurts too much."

"Kind watch you." the pack's leader said. "Kind hungry."

He signaled to the others and the pack backed away.

"Thanks for that." the Doctor told the guard.

"Right." the guard replied, studying them closely. "Let's get you inside."

The Doctor nodded and helped Lily to her feet. When she moaned and tried to collapse again, Jack caught her.

He shrugged off the backpack he was carrying and handed it to Martha before lifting Lily on to his back, piggy-back style.

"Love you, Jackie." Lily said weakly.

Jack chuckled.

"I love you, too, Lily." he told her.

She nodded and closed her eyes.

"My name is Padrafet Shafekane." the man who had led them there told the guards. "Please, tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"

"Oh yes, sir." the guard told him. "Yes, I can."

The Doctor and Jack exchanged a look and followed them inside.

A/N: First chapter of Utopia. What do you think? Keep Titles coming. Right now, I'm leaning towards Savin' Me to keep in the Nickelback vain. Tell me what you think.

Abbey


	67. Utopia: Do You Know The Way?

Disclaimer: I have taken the Doctor hostage and will not let him go until you give me either David Tennant or Matt Smith.

Ch. 67:

"It's a box, a big blue box." The Doctor told a guard. "I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

They were standing in a hallway and Jack had lowered Lily to lean against the wall.

"You okay?" he asked her quietly.

Lily nodded.

"It took a lot to draw power from the vortex." she told him. "I'll be fine."

He nodded, leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry, but my family were heading for the silo." the man, Padrafet, told the guard. "Did they get here? My mother is Kistane Shafekane. My brother is Beltone."

"The computers are down, but you can check the paperwork. Creet!" he called.

A young boy, no older than ten, poked his head around a corner.

"Passenger needs help." the guard told the young boy.

"Right." the boy said. "What d'you need?"

Padrafet walked over to Creet and they both looked over the clipboard the boy was carrying.

"A blue box, you said." the guard said, returning his attention to the Doctor.

"Big, tall, wooden." the Doctor told him. "Says 'Police'."

"We're driving out for a last water collection." he told him. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you." the Doctor replied.

"Come on." Creet said, moving off.

"Come on, old girl." the Doctor said, reaching his hand down to Lily.

"Call me old again, and I'll start bringing your age into it." Lily groused, letting him pull her to her feet. She stumbled and fell into him and he caught her in his arms.

"Sorry." she said softly.

The Doctor held on for a moment longer as the others moved off, before letting go.

"Sorry, but how old are you?" Martha asked the young boy as they walked down the hall.

"Old enough to work." Creet replied. "This way."

He led them down a corridor lined with people camping.

"Kistane Shafekane." He called. "Kistane Shafekane. Kistane and Beltone Shafekane? Looking for a Kistane and Beltone Shafekane."

"The Shafekanes anyone?" Padrafet called.

"Anyone? Kistane and Beltone Shefkane?" Creet continued. "Anyone know the Shefkane family? Anyone called Shafekane?"

"It's like a refugee camp." Lily said, slightly horrified.

The Doctor squeezed her hand.

"Stinking." Jack said. He winced as he passed a rather large man who stared at him. "Ooh, sorry. No offence."

"Don't you see that?" the Doctor asked. "The ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, much better than a million years evolving into clouds of gas. And then another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans."

"You big old softie, you." Lily said, laughing as she wrapped an arm around him.

"Kistane Shafekane." Creet continued calling.

"End of the universe and here you are." The Doctor continued, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they continued walking. "Indomitable! That's the word! Indomitable! Ha!"

"Is there a Kistane Shafekane?" Creet called.

"That's me." A woman said, standing up. She gasped as she spotted Padrafet.

"Mother?" he said softly.

"Oh my God." She breathed.

"Beltone?" Padrafet asked.

He ran to them, embracing them in a tight hug.

"It's not all bad news." Martha said with a smile.

A good looking young man passed by Jack.

"Captain Jack Harkness." Jack said, holding out his hand. "And who are you?"

"Jack!" Lily said strictly. "Don't make me gag you!"

"Give us a hand with this." The Doctor said as he tried to open a door with the sonic screwdriver.

Jack reluctantly let go of the man's hand and joined the rest of them.

"It's half deadlocked." The Doctor told him. "See if you can overwrite the code. Let's find out where we are."

Jack got to work and a moment later the door slid open and the Doctor almost fell through.

"Gotcha." Jack said, grabbing the Doctor's jacket and pulling him back.

"Thanks." The Doctor told him.

Jack grinned at him and shook his head.

"How did you cope without me?" he asked him.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Lily groused.

Jack looked thoughtful.

"I'd say more meatloaf." He told her.

She glared at him and lunged. He let her get in a few swats before grabbing her hands, turning her around, and holding her tightly against her chest. She huffed but didn't fight to get away, instead, leaning against him with a slight smile.

"Now that is what I call a rocket." Martha said, distracted from Lily and Jack's squabbling by the sight in front of them.

"They're not refugees." The Doctor said. "They're passengers."

"He asked if they could take him to Utopia." Lily said.

She moved out of Jack's arms and to the edge. The Doctor quickly grabbed her around the waist as she leaned over. She turned her head and smiled at him before letting him pull her back to him.

"The perfect place." The Doctor said thoughtfully as he moved Lily to his side. "100 trillion years, it's still the same old dream."

He looked back to the ship.

"Do you recognize those engines?" he asked Lily and Jack.

"Nope." Jack said. "Whatever it is, it's not rocket science. But it's hot, though."

"Boiling." The Doctor agreed.

They stepped back and Jack shut the door, but the Doctor noticed that Lily stared at the engines until the last moment.

_What is it? _ He asked.

_I don't know. _She told him. _Something seems familiar. Like I'm remembering something I knew in a past life. Like I'm remembering a forgotten part of me._

_Something from when you were a Time Lord?_ He asked her.

She shook her head.

_Everything I remember from Gallifrey comes either from the watch or from your's and the other Doctor's memories._ She told him. _I've never remembered anything on my own._

She looked so desponded, so he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Do they do that a lot?" Jack asked Martha.

"All the time." She complained.

"Shut up." Lily said, glaring at them.

"Back to the original point," the Doctor said, releasing Lily reluctantly, "if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"

They were distracted by an older man running up to them, looking between Jack and the Doctor.

"The Doctor?" he asked, finally settling on Jack.

"That's me." The Doctor corrected.

"Good." The man said, taking the Doctor's hand and dragging him away. "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good."

"It's good apparently." The Doctor said to the others, grabbing Lily's hand and dragging her with him.

Jack and Martha laughed and followed behind them.

* * *

The group entered a make shift lab and were greeted by a blue humanoid bug.

"Chan-welcome-tho." The being told them.

"This is the gravitissimal accelerator." The older man said, ignoring the greeting and pulling the Doctor and, by extension, because the Doctor had yet to let go, Lily. "It's part of the…"

"Chan-welcome-tho." Blue said to Martha and Jack.

"And over here is the footprint impellor system." The man, who had identified himself as Professor Yana, continued. "If you know anything about endtime gravity…"

"Hello." Martha replied. "Who are you?"

"Chan-Chantho-tho." She replied.

"But we can't get it to harmonize!" Yana concluded.

"Captain Jack Harkness." Jack told Chantho, holding out his hand.

"Stop it." Lily and the Doctor said without turning around.

"Can't I say hello to anyone?" Jack whined.

"Nope." Lily called back. "Cause I know where your hellos lead."

"Chan-I do not protest-tho." Chantho said.

"Besides, what would Ianto say?" Lily asked.

"Ianto and I aren't together." Jack told her with a glare.

"Only because you're too chicken to ask him out." Lily shot back.

"I am not!" Jack protested.

"Then why haven't you?" Lily asked.

"I'm waiting for the right moment." Jack stuttered.

"Uh huh." Lily said sarcastically. "And that'll be when? Three minutes before the next apocalypse?"

Jack glared at her but didn't answer.

"So what have we got here?" he asked instead, making his way over to them.

Martha followed him, giving his back pack an odd look when it started making a noise.

"And all this feeds into the rocket?" the Doctor asked, having ignored Lily and Jack's argument.

"Yeah, except without a stable footprint, we'll never escape velocity." Yana told them. "If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Any ideas?"

"Well," the Doctor said, looking at the system. "Um, basically…sort of…not a clue."

"Nothing?" Yana asked, looking disappointed.

"I'm not from around these parts." The Doctor told him. "I've never seen a system like it. Sorry."

"No, no. I'm sorry." Yana told him. "It's my fault. There's been so little help."

Martha was ignoring them, choosing to investigate the noise coming from Jack's bag. She opened it and pulled out the container inside. A container holding a hand.

"Oh my God." She said, setting it on the table quickly. "You've got a hand. A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

"That's-that's my hand!" the Doctor said, coming over to take a closer look.

"I told you I was bringing you something." Jack told them.

"Chan-is this a tradition amongst your people-tho?" Chantho asked.

"Not on my street." Martha told her. "What d'you mean that's your hand? You've got both your hands, I can see them."

"Long story." The Doctor told her, studying the hand. "I lost my hand Christmas Day. In a swordfight."

"What?" Martha asked, disbelieving. "And you grew another hand?"

"Um, yeah." The Doctor replied. "Yeah, I did. Yeah." He held up his hand and waved his fingers. "Hello."

"I've always meant to ask you, Jack." Lily said, touching the glass before taking the Doctor's hand and linking her fingers through his. "That hand fell off a spaceship hovering over London. How in hell did you even find it?"

"You really do not want to know." Jack said, shuddering.

"Might I ask what species are you?" Yana asked the Doctor.

"Time Lord." The Doctor replied. He motioned to Lily and himself. "Last of. Heard of them?"

Yana shook his head.

"Legend or anything?" The Doctor asked. "Not even a myth? Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."

Lily laughed and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Chan-It is said that I am the last of my species too-tho." Chantho told them.

"Sorry, what was your name?" the Doctor asked her.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho." Yana told him. "A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge."

"The city outside, that was yours?" the Doctor asked.

"Chan-the conglomeration died-tho." She told him sadly.

"Conglomeration!" the Doctor said happily, turning to Lily. "That's what I said!"

"You're supposed to say sorry." Jack rebuked him as Lily hit him upside the head.

"Ow." He said, rubbing his head, before turning back. "Sorry." He told her, somberly.

"Chan-most grateful-tho." Chantho replied.

"You grew another hand?" Martha asked him.

The Doctor waved the hand still linked with Lily's.

"Hello again." He said. "It's fine. Look. Really, it's me."

He let go of Lily and held out his hand to Martha, wiggling his fingers. She hesitated a second before taking it.

"All this time and you're still full of surprises." She told him with a nervous laugh.

He clicked his tongue and winked before letting go.

"Chan-you are most unusual-tho." Chantho told him.

"Well…" the Doctor said.

"You have no idea." Lily finished in a long suffering voice.

The Doctor shoved her gently with his shoulder and she grinned up at him.

"So what about those things outside?" Jack asked. "The Beastie Boys. What are they?"

"The Beastie Boys." Lily said fondly. "I love that band."

"Focus." The Doctor told her.

"We call them the Futurekind." Yana told them. "Which is a myth in itself, but, uh, it is feared they are what we will become. Unless we reach Utopia."

"And Utopia is…" the Doctor prompted.

"Oh, every human knows of Utopia." Yana told him. "Where have you been?"

"Bit of a hermit." The Doctor told him.

"A hermit with friends?" Yana asked.

"Hermits United." The Doctor replied. "We meet up every ten years. Swap stories about caves. It's good fun…for a hermit."

_Give it up._ Lily told him with a smile.

He winced and nodded.

"So, um, Utopia?" he finished lamely.

Yana crooked a finger and led them to a computer that showed a navigational chart with a blinking red dot.

"The call came from across the stars over and over again." He told them. "Come to Utopia. Originated from that point."

"Where is that?" Lily asked.

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness." Yana told them. "Out toward the wildlands and the dark matter reefs. Calling us in. The last of the humans. Scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know." Yana told them. "A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind-to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh yes." The Doctor agreed.

He didn't notice, but Lily did as Yana's look got far away.

"And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic." He continued. "There's a good sigh. Someone's out there. And that's…ooh, that's a navigation matrix, isn't it? So you can fly without the stars to guide you."

"Professor?" Lily asked, interrupting the Doctor. "Professor?"

The Doctor stopped talking and looked at the older man closely.

"I-Right, that's enough talk." Yana said, seeming to come back. "There's work to do. Now if you could leave. Thank you."

He walked away and Lily and the Doctor exchanged a look.

"You all right?" the Doctor called after him.

"Yes." Yana replied shortly. "I'm fine! And busy!"

"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" the Doctor asked him, causing him to stop. "The footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."

"We'll find a way." Yana told him.

"You're stuck on this planet." The Doctor said. "And you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, they thing they're gonna fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope." Yana said sadly.

"Quite right, too." The Doctor agreed. "And I must say, Professor…" He removed his coat and handed it to Jack as he passed. "Um, what was it?"

"Yana." He told him.

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me," the Doctor told him, "but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverse the boost. So, I wonder what would happen if I did this?"

He picked up the circuit and pointed the sonic screwdriver at it before switching it on.

"Chan-it's working-tho!" Chantho said happily as the system sprang to life.

"But how did you do that?" Yana asked.

"Oh, while we've been chatting away, I forgot to tell you." He said grinning. "I'm brilliant."

"All that hard work to shrink your ego." Lily said sadly. "Out the window."

"I'm sure you'll be able to fix it, Lils." Jack told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'll help."

"What would I do without you, Jack?" Lily asked hugging him.

The Doctor just glared at them.

A/N: Second chapter of Utopia. I'm really excited to be getting to the Master. I have great things planed for him. Anyway, I'm still taking suggestions for names for Season 4. Right now, I'm leaning towards Savin' Me. Also, I'm closing the poll on my profile tomorrow, Sunday, May 23rd, so go answer if you haven't yet who you think River Song is. And, as always, let me know what you think!

Abbey


	68. Utopia: There I Fixed It

Disclaimer: Give me Doctor Who, or I'll sic Lily on you. And she bites.

Ch. 68:

"_All passengers prepare for immediate boarding."_

Families in the corridors began to get their things together.

"_I repeat, all passengers prepare for immediate boarding."_

In the lab, everyone was working at different controls.

"_Destination: Utopia."_

In the control room, a lieutenant hit a switch and the gates opened to allow the water truck in.

"_All troops fall back to the silo. I repeat, all troops fall back to the silo."_

"Inside!" a guard called. "Everyone inside! C'mon! Move, move, move!"

"_I repeat, all passengers prepare for immediate boarding."_

Martha and Chantho headed down the corridors in the opposite direction of everyone heading to the ship, their arms full of circuit boards. As they walked, Martha spotted the young boy from earlier.

"Excuse me." She called. "Hey, what was your name? Creet."

"That's right, miss." He replied.

"Who are you with, Creet?" Martha asked. "You got family?"

"No, miss." He told her. "There's just me."

"Well, good luck." She told him. "What do you think it's going to be like in Utopia?"

"My mum used to say the skies are made of diamonds." Creet told her.

"Good for her." Martha replied. "Go on, off you go. Get your seat."

He nodded and moved on, while the women made their way back to the lab.

* * *

The Doctor and Yana worked on either side of a large, clear circuit board. The Doctor picked up one of the cords in his hand and smelled it.

"Is this…?" he asked.

"Yes, gluten extract." Yana replied. "Binds the neutralino map together.

"But that's food." The Doctor said. "You've built this system out of food and string and staples. Professor Yana, you're a genius."

"Says the man who made it work." Yana replied.

"Oh…it's easy coming in at the end but…you're stellar." The Doctor told him. "This is…this is magnificent. I don't often say that 'cause…well, 'cause of me."

"Well, even my title is an affectation." Yana told him. "There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

"If you had been born in a different time, you'd be revered." The Doctor stated as Yana chuckled. "I mean it. Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damned galaxies." Yana complained jokingly. "They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Just a little. Just once."

"Well you've got it now." The Doctor told him with a smile. "But that footprint engine thing. You can't activate it from onboard. It's gotta be from here. You're staying behind."

"With Chantho." Yana confirmed. "She won't leave without me. Simply refuses."

"Lily's like that." The Doctor told him, turning and smiling slightly at the sight of Lily joking and working with Jack. He turned back to Yana. "You would give your life so they could fly."

"Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia." Yana told him. "Time I had some sleep."

"Professor." A voice called over the intercom. "Tell the Doctor we've found his blue box."

"Ah!" the Doctor said, grabbing Lily up in a hug and swinging her around.

"Doctor." Jack called.

They all gathered around a monitor to see the TARDIS safely inside the silo.

The Doctor put a hand on Yana's shoulder.

"Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out." He told the man.

* * *

The Doctor pulled a power cord out from under the console and ran for the door. When he pushed it open though, he found Lily in his way. She was standing in front of the doors, eyes closed, her arm outstretched, hugging the TARDIS.

"Lily, could you please get out of the way?" he asked her crossly.

She opened her eyes to glare at him and he saw they had a slightly glow to them, but she stepped back to let him through. The moment he was out of her way, she went back to hugging the TARDIS.

"Extra power." The Doctor called running to an outlet and inserting the cord. "Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro-feeds."

A second later, Martha and Chantho arrived back.

"Oh, am I glad to see that thing." Martha said, spotting the TARDIS.

"Chan-what is Lily doing-tho?" Chantho asked Martha.

"Uh…I have no idea." Martha replied. "Doctor, what is Lily doing?"

The Doctor glanced up from what he was doing.

"Um, I'd call it 'being a nuisance', she's calling it 'communing with the TARDIS', so I'm going to compromise with 'being in the way'." He replied before going back to his work.

Martha shrugged at Chantho and moved away. Chantho on the other hand, moved to Yana.

"Chan-Professor, are you alright-tho?" she asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine." he told her. "I'm fine. Just get on with it."

"Connect those circuits into the spar-" Jack told Martha, "same as that last lot. But quicker."

"Yes, sir." Martha told him with a grin.

Lily finally let go of the TARDIS and walked over the Doctor. When she reached him, she held out a finger and a golden spark jumped from her to him.

"Ow!" he said, rubbing his arm. "What was that for? Better question, how did you do that?"

"That was for calling me a nuisance." She told him. "And with the TARDIS nearby, I don't have to pull directly from the vortex, so it doesn't cost me."

"Well that's good." The Doctor said. "But can you use your power to help instead of to shock me?"

"Only because these people need help." She told him. "Any other time, I'd spend the next hour or so shocking you, understood?"

"Understood." He told her. "Can you take over here?"

"Just show me what to do." She replied.

He reached out and gently touched her temple, allowing the information to travel through their link.

"Understand?" he asked, turning the gesture into a light caress.

She nodded, smiling and leaning slightly into his touch, and picked up where he left off.

The Doctor walked over to Yana.

"You don't have to keep working." He told the older man. "We can handle it."

"It's just a headache." Yana told him. "Just-just noise inside my head, Doctor. Constant noise inside my head."

"What sort of noise?" the Doctor asked.

"It's the sound of drums." Yana replied. "More and more, as though it's getting closer."

"When did it start?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, I've had it all my life." Yana told him. "Every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked."

He stood and got back to work.

The Doctor watched him for a moment before rejoining Lily.

* * *

"How long have you been with the professor?" Martha asked Chantho as they replaced the circuits.

"Chan-Seventeen years-tho." Chantho replied.

"Blimey." Martha marveled. "A long time."

"Chan-I adore him-tho." Chantho said, looking immediately embarrassed by her admission.

"Oh right," Martha said, "and he-"

"Chan-I don't think he even notices-tho." Chantho told her.

"Tell me about it." Martha sympathized. "At least he isn't head over heels in love with your friend and oblivious about it."

"Chan-what-tho?" Chantho asked, confused.

"Never mind." Martha told her. She studied the other woman for a moment. "Do you mind if I ask? Do you have to start every sentence with 'chan'?"

"Chan-yes-tho." Chantho replied.

"And end every sentence with…" Martha trailed off.

"Chan-tho-tho." She agreed.

"What would happen if you didn't?" Martha asked.

"Chan-that would be rude-tho." Chantho replied, shocked.

"What, like swearing?" Martha asked.

"Chan-indeed-tho." Chantho told her.

"Go on." Martha encouraged. "Just once."

"Chan-I can't-tho." Chantho told her nervously.

"Oh, do it for me." Martha begged.

Chantho hesitated.

"No." she said, giggling.

* * *

"Professor, are you getting me?" a voice called.

Yana walked quickly over to the monitor.

"I'm here!" he replied. "We're ready! Now all you need to do is connect the couplings. Then we can launch."

The signal went out.

"God sakes!" he ranted. "This equipment! Needs rebooting all the time!"

"Anything I can do?" Martha asked. "I've finished that lot."

"Yes, if you could." Yana said, making room for her. "Just press the reboot key every time the picture goes out."

"Certainly, sir." Martha agreed. "Just don't ask me to do shorthand."

"Are you still there?" the man asked, coming back on the screen.

"Ah, present and correct." Yana told him. "Send your man inside. We'll keep the levels down from here."

They all waited.

"He's inside." Finally came the reply. "And good luck to him."

"Captain , keep the levels below the red." Yana ordered Jack.

"Where is that room?" the Doctor asked as he and Lily joined Yana and Martha.

"It's underneath the rocket." Yana told him. "Fix the couplings and the footprint can work. But the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet?" the Doctor asked. "Never heard of it."

"You seem to be saying that a lot this trip." Lily teased gently.

"You wouldn't want to hear of it." Yana told him. "But it's safe enough. We can hold the radiation back from here."

The four huddled around the monitor to watch as the tech worked on the couplings. Suddenly, an alarm began to sound.

"It's rising…0.2!" Yana warned. "Keep it level!"

"Yes, sir!" Jack called back.

More alarms began.

"Chan-we're losing power-tho!" Chantho yelled.

The Doctor and Lily ran to different controls, trying to keep hold.

"Radiation's rising!" the Doctor yelled.

"We've lost control!" Lily added.

"The chamber's going to flood!" Yana called to the man in the control room.

"Jack!" the Doctor yelled. "Override the vents!"

"Get out!" they heard the man yell to the tech. "Get out of there! Jate!"

Jack picked up two live cables.

"We can jump start the override!" he called before slamming them together.

"NO!" Lily screamed, leaping forward.

The Doctor quickly caught her and held her close as power coursed through Jack's body and he fell to the ground and didn't move.

"I've got him." Martha said, running to Jack's side.

"Chan-don't touch the cables-tho." Chantho said, pushing one aside.

The Doctor finally let go of a very angry Lily.

_Son of a bitch, I'm going to kill him._ She was seething.

_He'll just come back again._ The Doctor pointed out as Martha tried to administer CPR.

_Then I'll keep killing him until I feel better. _Lily shot back.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Yana told them.

"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?" the Doctor asked.

"Without the couplings, the engines will never start." Yana told him. "It was all for nothing!"

"Oh, I don't know." The Doctor said, walking forward. "Martha, leave him." He told her, pulling her up gently.

"You've gotta let me try." Martha protested.

"Come on." He said, pulling her away. "Come on. Just listen to me. Now leave him alone." He let go of her and turned to Yana. "It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room no man can enter without dying. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Yana replied sadly.

"Well…" the Doctor began.

Jack gasped as he came back to life and Lily ran to his side.

The Doctor removed his glasses.

"I've got just the man." He told Yana.

"Was someone kissing me?" Jack asked.

"You stupid ass!" Lily said, falling to her knees and hitting his chest. "What happens when one day you don't come back, huh?"

"You throw me the most kick ass funeral ever." Jack told her with a grin.

"It's not funny!" Lily said, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you have a death wish."

She never saw the look he exchanged with the Doctor.

A/N: Chapter 3 of Utopia! I'm so excited about these next episodes! Let me know what you think!


	69. Utopia: What Was Lost Is Reborn

Disclaimer: I have no excuse, I'm just obsessed.

Ch. 69:

Jack and the Doctor quickly ran down the corridors to the control room.

"Lieutenant, get onboard the rocket!" the Doctor called as they skid to a stop. "I promise you're gonna fly."

"The chamber's flooded!" the lieutenant protested.

"Trust me." The Doctor told him. "We've found a way of tripping the system. Run!"

The lieutenant ran off, and Jack began removing his shirt.

"Wh-What are you taking your clothes off for?" the Doctor stuttered.

"I'm going in." Jack told him.

"Well by the looks of it, I'd say that stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh." He told the other man.

"I look good though." Jack said, running to the door. He reached for the handle and stopped. "I've always meant to ask, but I thought it would upset Lily."

"Ask what?" the Doctor asked.

"How long have you known?" Jack asked him.

The Doctor paused.

"Ever since I ran away from you." He told him. "Good luck."

Jack entered the room, slamming the door shut quickly after him. He went straight to the coupling as the Doctor watched through the window.

"We lost picture when that thing flared up." Lily called. "Doctor, are you there?"

"Receiving, yeah." The Doctor replied. "He's inside.

"Tell him not to hurt himself." Lily told him. "I'm not explaining to Torchwood how I let their leader run into a room full of radiation, so he needs to not have any visible marks."

"Jack's touched by your worry for him." The Doctor called back with a smile.

"I aim to please." Lily answered.

"So he's still alive?" Martha asked.

"Oh, yes." The Doctor replied.

* * *

"But he should evaporate." Yana protested. "What sort of a man is he?"

"Cursed." Was the only answer Lily gave.

"I've only just met him." Martha said when Yana turned to her. "The Doctor and Lily sort of travel through time and space and pick people up." She winced. "God, I make us sound like stray dogs." She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe we are."

"But we love you anyway." Lily said distractedly.

Martha pushed her with her shoulder, smiling.

"You travel in time?" Yana asked Lily.

"Yes." Lily said, not really paying attention. Every fiber of her being was focused on the two men in the control room.

Yana turned back to Martha again for more explanation.

"Don't ask me to explain it." Martha told him. She pointed behind them. "That's a TARDIS. The sports car of time travel, he says."

Neither Lily nor Martha noticed Yana's reaction.

* * *

"I have another question." Jack called as he worked on the couplings.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, if being around me bothers you so much, why do you keep coming back?" Jack asked him.

The Doctor hesitated, trying to come up with the right words.

"Jack, if I hadn't met Lily, I probably would have spent the rest of time avoiding you." He told him. "I've told you, Jack, it's not easy just looking at you. You're wrong."

"Yeah, that never ceases to make me feel good about myself." Jack told him sarcastically.

"You are, I can't help it." The Doctor told him. "I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact and that was never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you. She flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

"But Lily isn't bothered by me." Jack pointed out. "She's technically a Time Lord too."

"She views you as a part of her." The Doctor explained. "As a part of the vortex."

"So back to my original question." Jack said. "Why do you keep coming back?"

"Because Lily wants to." The Doctor said simply.

"I don't understand." Jack said, moving to the next coupling.

The Doctor sighed.

"She's been through so much." He told the man. "She's lost so much. I won't deny her anything that makes her smile. And you make her laugh." He shook his head. "She loves you so much. I can't take that away from her. My discomfort is a small price to pay to see her laugh."

"You love her." Jack said.

"What?" the Doctor yelped.

"You do." Jack replied. He finished the second coupling and moved to the third. "It's alright you know."

"I don't-I mean we're not-she doesn't-" the Doctor sputtered.

"Doctor." Jack interrupted. "Anyone with eyes can see how much you two care for each other."

"I loved Rose, Jack." The Doctor said softly as Jack moved to the fourth coupling. "I don't think I can do that again."

"Yeah, but Lily isn't Rose, is she?" Jack asked. "And I don't think Rose would want you to lose the chance to be happy again just because you're mourning her."

"I know." The Doctor replied softly.

"So the question becomes, do you love her?" Jack asked.

The Doctor was silent for a moment.

"Yes." He answered quietly.

* * *

Martha turned and looked at Lily, who was staring at the screen.

"Lily…" she said softly.

"I'm sorry." Lily replied.

"Don't." Martha ordered. "There was never any coming between you two."

"Still…" Lily trailed off.

Martha reached over and took her hand before turning back to the screen.

DWDWDW

"Now I have a question for you, Jack." The Doctor called through the door. "When we first showed up at Torchwood, I asked if you wanted to die, and you said no. Has that changed? Because Lily's right, it does seem like you have a death wish."

"Oh, this one's a little stuck." Jack said, avoiding the question.

"Jack?" the Doctor asked, leaning his forehead against the glass.

"I thought I did." Jack answered. "Even back then, when you asked before. But this lot, you see them out here surviving," he grinned at the Doctor, "and that's fantastic."

The Doctor returned the grin and Jack moved onto the last coupling.

"You may be out there somewhere." The Doctor told him.

"I could go meet myself." Jack said.

"Well," the Doctor said, "the only man you're ever gonna be happy with."

"This new regeneration," Jack said, struggling with the coupling, "it really is kinda cheeky."

* * *

"I never understand half the things he says." Martha complained, making Lily laugh.

"I'll explain later." Lily promised.

She glanced around and spotted a distraught Yana.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Chan-Professor, what is it-tho?" Chantho asked.

"Time travel." He said. "They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed. But what would I know? I'm just a stupid old man. Never could keep time. Always late, always lost. Even this thing never worked."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fobwatch and Lily took a step back.

She quickly closed off her mind from the Doctor as she felt it call to her. She didn't want it to reach his mind through hers. This watch knew her, knew what she was.

She unconsciously reached into her pocket and wrapped her hand around her own watch.

"Time and time and time again." Yana continued. "Always running out on me."

"Can I have a look at that?" Martha asked.

"Martha…" Lily called softly.

"Oh, it's only an old relic." He told her with a chuckle. "Like me."

"Where did you get it?" Martha asked, holding it in her hand.

"Hm?" he replied. "I was found with it."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked.

"Martha." Lily called again.

"An orphan in the storm." Yana replied. "I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned with only this."

"Have you opened it?" Martha asked.

"Martha!" Lily said, but Martha ignored her.

"Why would I?" Yana asked. "It's broken."

"How do you know it's broken if you never opened it?" Martha asked.

"It's stuck." Yana said. "It's old. It's not meant to be. I don't know."

Lily quickly moved to Martha's side and grabbed her arm as Martha turned the watch over and saw the engravings. The same engravings as on Lily and the Doctor's watches.

"Does it matter?" Yana asked her.

"No." Lily answered for her, motioning for Martha to hand it back.

Martha quickly complied.

"You know," Lily said, "there's not much to do up here. Why don't Martha and I go see if the Doctor and Jack need help."

Without waiting for an answer, Lily grabbed Martha's arm and dragged her out the door.

* * *

"Yes!" Jack said as the last coupling slipped into place.

"Now get out of there!" the Doctor called. "Come on!"

Jack slipped through the door as the Doctor called the lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, everyone on board?" he asked.

"Ready and waiting." the lieutenant answered.

"Stand by!" the Doctor called. "Two minutes to ignition."

He hung up the phone and turned back to the controls. A few seconds later, Lily and Martha ran into the room.

"Ah, nearly there." He told them. "The footprint is a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It's gonna take the both of us to keep it stable."

"Yeah that's nice. We've got problems." Lily told him, moving in front of him.

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor said, moving around her. "Everything's going fine."

"Doctor, it's the professor." Martha told him. "He's got this watch. He's got a fobwatch. It's the same as yours and Lily's. Same writing on it. Same…everything."

The Doctor stopped and looked at them.

"Don't be ridiculous." He told them.

Lily grabbed his face between her hands and opened her mind fully to him, showing him what she had just seen and felt.

The Doctor staggered back and she let go.

"No." he said. "No, no. It can't be."

"I'm not making a mistake." Lily said. "I wouldn't. Not about this. You saw it for yourself."

An alarm blared and the Doctor jumped to fix it.

"That means he could be a Time Lord." Jack said. "You guys might not be the last ones."

"Jack, keep it level!" the Doctor barked.

Lily rushed over to help.

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Martha asked.

"Yes, it is." The Doctor said distractedly. Lily felt his mind moving at a hundred miles a minute. "Course it is. Depends which one. Brilliant, fantastic, yeah. But they died, the Time Lords. All of them, they died."

"Not if he was human." Jack pointed out.

"So many disappeared." Lily said softly. "We have no idea who he could be. And some who disappeared should never be found."

She turned and looked at the Doctor.

"He couldn't see his watch." She told him. "Unlike mine, his perception filter was fully functioning." Her expression got even more serious. "But he can now."

* * *

Voices echoed in Yana mind as he stared at the watch in his hand. Voices mixed with dark laughter and the ever present sound of drums.

_The drums. _The watch seemed to say._ The drums, the drums. The never-ending drumbeat. Open me, you human fool. Open the light and summon me and receive my majesty._

"Chan-Yana, won't you please take some rest-tho?" Chantho asked worriedly.

* * *

"13, 12, 11, 10…" the countdown continued.

"If he escaped the Time War then it's the perfect place to hide." Jack said. "The end of the universe."

"Think of what the Face of Boe said." Martha told them. "His dying words. He said…"

"You are not alone." Lily whispered.

In their minds they saw what they had missed before. You Are Not Alone. Y-A-N-A.

* * *

Yana stood staring at the TARDIS, his back to Chantho.

"Chan-Professor Yana-tho?" she asked.

He turned back around and she quickly back away. His once kind face was now twisted into a cruel mask.

* * *

"Lieutenant, have you achieved velocity?" the Doctor called. "Have you done it? Lieutenant! Have you done it?"

"Affirmative." the lieutenant called back. "We'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck." The Doctor told him.

He hung up the phone and he and Lily took off at a run, Martha and Jack following behind.

* * *

Yana moved to a panel and quickly threw a lever, closing and locking the main door before the Doctor and Lily could reach it.

"Chan-but you've locked them in-tho." Chantho said, confused.

* * *

"Get it open!" the Doctor yelled pointing the sonic screwdriver at the door as Jack ran to the keypad. "Get it open!"

* * *

"Not to worry, my dear." Yana said. "As one door closes, another must open."

He threw another switch and the power at the main gate went down, allowing the Futurekind to enter.

"Chan-you must stop-tho!" Chantho yelled.

Yana ignored her and continued working.

"Chan-but you've lowered the defences! The Futurekind will get in-tho!" she told him.

* * *

Lily walked up to Jack and grabbed his arm, closing her eyes. A second later she opened them and they were glowing bright gold.

"Direct conduit to the vortex." She said. "Move."

The Doctor backed away, taking Martha with him.

Lily laid her hand on the door and second later it blew off it's hinges and into the opposite wall.

"Let's go." The Doctor said, moving through it.

"Come on, super girl." Jack said, grabbing Lily's hand as they ran off.

* * *

"Chan-Professor, I'm so sorry, but I must stop you. You're destroying all our work-tho."

Yana turned around to find Chantho holding a gun on him.

"Oh…" he said. "Now I can say I was provoked."

He slowly held out one of the live cables Jack had held earlier.

* * *

The Doctor, Martha, Lily, and Jack ran down a corridor and around a corner, only to be confronted by a pack of Futurekind.

Lily's eyes flashed and a gold wall appeared between the two groups.

"Go back!" she called to the others, leading Jack back the way they'd come.

* * *

"Did you never think, in all those years standing beside me, to ask about that watch?" Yana demanded, still holding the sparking cable. "Never? Did you never think, not ever, that you could set me free?"

"Chan-I'm sorry-tho." Chantho whispered. "Chan-I'm so sorry-"

"And you with your 'chan' and your 'tho'." He cut her off. "Driving me insane."

"Chan-Professor, please-" she begged, but he cut her off again.

"That is not my name!" he yelled. "The Professor…was an invention. So perfect a disguise that I forgot who I am."

"Chan-who are you-tho?" Chantho whispered.

He lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I…am…the Master."

He thrust the cable forward.

* * *

The Futurekind chased the group through the corridors, held at a distance by Lily's shield, which was only sustained through her physical connection to Jack.

"This way!" Jack called, pulling them down another hall way.

* * *

The Master knelt and reached out to pick up the canister containing the Doctor's hand.

* * *

The group arrived at the locked door to the lab.

"I can't hold back the Futurekind and open the door." Lily told them, breathing heavily. "You need to pick one."

"Keep them back." The Doctor ordered.

"I'll need both hands, Lils." Jack said.

Lily nodded and moved her hand up his arm to grip his shoulder, never losing contact.

"Professor!" the Doctor called pounding on the window of the door. "Professor, let me in! Let me in!" He turned back. "Jack, get the door open!"

* * *

The Master ignored him, walking to the navigation computer.

* * *

"Professor!" the Doctor yelled. "Professor, where are you? Professor! Professor, are you there? Please, I need to explain!"

* * *

The Master removed the circuit board.

"Utopia." He sneered.

* * *

Lily staggered against Jack and Martha quickly went to support her.

"The sheild's weakening." Lily whispered. "I don't know how much longer I can hold it."

"Doctor, they're coming!" Martha yelled to him.

"Professor!" the Doctor yelled.

* * *

The Master pulled some cables from the TARDIS.

* * *

"Open the door, please!" the Doctor yelled. "I'm begging you, Professor! Please! Listen to me!"

Lily sagged.

"They're through." She whispered.

* * *

Chantho was lying on the floor, hurt very badly. She slowly reached out her hand to the gun that lay nearby.

* * *

"Open the door, please!" the Doctor screamed.

* * *

The Master turned and Chantho fired.

He groaned as the bullet hit him and he staggered back against the TARDIS, staring at her.

* * *

Jack whipped out his revolver and hit the keypad with the butt of the gun and the door opened. The Doctor rushed through and Martha and Jack followed after, supporting Lily between them.

The Doctor stopped, facing the wounded Master. The Master glanced at him, but his eyes focused on Lily, who met his eyes. He seemed to begin to move towards her, but thought better of it.

The Doctor moved forward, but the Master retreated to the TARDIS, locking the door after him. The Doctor rushed to open it with his key, but the Master flipped a switch and the key wouldn't turn.

The Master headed to the console while the Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver, pointing it at the TARDIS.

The Master pushed a button and stepped away, turning back to the door.

"Deadlocked." He called.

"Let me in!" the Doctor yelled, pounding on the door. "Let me in!"

Jack led Lily over to the TARDIS, leaning her against the side, as Martha ran to Chantho. Lily sighed as her skin came in contact with the wood side.

"She's dead." Martha called as she kneeled next to Chantho.

Jack ran to the door and examined it.

"I've broken the lock!" he called to her. "Give me a hand!"

She ran to him as Lily stood and moved next to the Doctor.

"I'm begging you!" he called through the door. "Everything's changed! It's just the three of us! We're the only ones left! Just let me in!"

"Killed by an insect!" the Master called back. "A girl! How inappropriate. Still, if the Doctor can be young and strong, then so can I. The Master…reborn."

With that, he exploded in light as he screamed.

* * *

Lily and the Doctor both quickly backed away as they saw the light and heard his scream.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled as he and Martha held the door shut. "You'd better think of something!"

"Ha, ha!" they heard a new voice laughing from the TARDIS. "Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!"

Suddenly, the voice was transmitted over a speaker.

"Doctor-ooh, new voice." The Master said. He lowered his voice. "Hello!" He raised his voice. "Hello!" His voice returned to normal. "Hello! Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me? I don't think so!"

"Hold on!" Martha called. "I know that voice!"

An arm reached through the door.

"I'm asking you really properly!" the Doctor called. "Just stop! Just think!"

"Use my name." the Master told him.

The Doctor hesitated for a moment.

"Master." He said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Tough!" the Master yelled.

The Doctor and Lily heard the engines begin to move. They exchanged a look and Lily ran to the TARDIS, slamming her hand against it and a gold light immediately raced up her arm as she absorbed as much power as she could. The Doctor held out his sonic screwdriver.

"I can't hold out much longer, Doctor!" Jack yelled from the door.

* * *

Inside the TARDIS, the console began to spark.

"Oh, no you don't!" the Master yelled.

He hit some buttons and the engines began to move again.

"End of the universe." He called. "Have fun. Bye bye!"

* * *

Lily quickly backed away from the TARDIS and reached for the Doctor's hand, grabbing it and holding it tightly.

"Doctor, stop him!" Martha yelled.

She and Jack continued to fight off the Futurekind as Lily and the Doctor watched as the TARDIS dematerialized.

A/N: Utopia is done! Oh my god! I can't not wait for the next two episodes. I have something very special planed for Lily and The Master's relationship. As always, let me know what you think!

Abbey


	70. The Sound of Drums: Way to Go!

Disclaimer: Doctor Who in the flesh would be about the only thing I would trade my oboe for. Too bad someone decided my oboe wasn't worth that.

Ch. 70:

The alley was quiet when, suddenly, a vortex opened and spit three people out.

"Oh, my head!" Martha moaned as they all bent over in pain.

"Time travel without a capsule." The Doctor said. "That's a killer."

He looked around, worried.

"Where's Lily?" he asked.

There was a flash of gold and Lily appeared in front of him.

"I'm right here." She said as he grabbed her in a tight hug.

"At least we made it." Jack said. "Earth, 21st century by the looks of it. Ha, ha, talk about lucky."

"That wasn't luck." The Doctor told him. "That was me."

* * *

_The Doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver at Jack's vortex manipulator as they all tried to keep the Futurekind out._

"_Hold still!" he yelled. "Don't move! Hold it still!"_

"_I'm telling you, it's broken!" Jack yelled back. "It hasn't worked for years!"_

"_That's because you didn't have me." The Doctor shot back. "Martha, Lily, grab hold!"_

_He grabbed Martha's hand and reached for Lily's, but she pulled away._

"_Go." She ordered. "I'll watch your backs."_

"_Lily!" The Doctor yelled._

_She leaned forward and grabbed his hand swiftly._

"_I can follow you anywhere." Lily told him, pulling back. "I'll be there, just go!"_

_She quickly pushed the button to send them on their way._

_She was alone with the Futurekind._

_She closed her eyes, feeling the link between her and the Doctor and in a flash she was gone.

* * *

_

"The moral is," Jack said stubbornly as they walked down the road, "if you're gonna get stuck at the end of the universe, get stuck with an ex-Time Agent and his vortex manipulator."

"But this Master bloke, he's got the TARDIS." Martha protested. "He could be anywhere in time and space."

"No, he's here." The Doctor told her. "Trust me."

"Who is he, anyway?" Martha asked. "And that voice at the end, that wasn't the professor."

"If the Master's a Time Lord, he must have regenerated." Jack stated.

"What does that mean?" Martha demanded.

"Means he's changed his face, voice, body, everything." Jack told her. "New man."

Lily and the Doctor paused and looked at a homeless man nearby who was tapping out a repeating rhythm on a cup.

"Then how are we gonna find him?" Martha asked.

"We'll know him." The Doctor said, motioning to himself and Lily. "The moment we see him. Time Lords always do."

"But hold on. If he could be anyone…" Martha started, but trailed off as she spotted Saxon posters all over the walls. "We missed the election. But it can't be…"

The Doctor and Lily walked towards a giant screen showing the news with Martha and Jack following behind.

"Mr. Saxon has returned from the Palace and is greeting the crowd inside Saxon Headquarters." The newscaster was saying.

"I said I knew that voice." Martha told them. "When he spoke inside the TARDIS. I've heard that voice hundreds of times. I've seen him. We all have. That was the voice of Harold Saxon."

"That's him." The Doctor said. "He's Prime Minister."

"Mr. Saxon, this way, sir." A reporter called on screen. "Come on, kiss for the lady sir."

"The Master is Prime Minister of Great Britain." The Doctor said, flabbergasted.

They watched as The Master kissed the woman at his side.

"The Master and his-" the Doctor started.

"WIFE?" Lily screeched.

"This country has been sick." The Master announced to the world. "This country needs healing. This country needs medicine. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that, what this country really needs, right now…is a doctor."

Lily sneered as he smiled into the camera.

"I have a really bad feeling about this." She said.

* * *

"Finance report, sir." A clerk said as Saxon and his wife walked down the corridors of Number Ten.

"Military protocol, sir."

"EC directive, sir."

"Annual budget, sir."

"Policy recommendations, sir."

Saxon finally made it to the cabinet door and stopped.

"I'm so proud of you, Harry." Mrs. Saxon told him, leaning over to kiss him.

"Bless." He told her as he pulled away.

"Uh, sir…" Tish said as she walked up. "If you don't mind me asking…I'm sorry, but it's all a bit new. What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Oh, yes." Saxon replied. "What was it, uh…?"

"Tish." She replied. "Letitia Jones."

"Tish." He repeated, gently touching her face. "Well then, Tish…You just stand there and look gorgeous."

He turned and walked into the Cabinet Room.

"A glorious day." He proclaimed. "Downing Street rebuilt, the Cabinet in session. Let the work of government begin."

He threw all the files in the air and watched as they scattered all around the room.

"Oh, go on." He told them. "Crack a smile. It's funny, isn't it? Albert, funny? No? Little bit?"

"Very funny, sir." Albert replied. "But-but if we could get down to business, there is the matter of policy, of which we have very little-"

"No, no, no, no." Saxon interrupted. "Before we start all that, I just want to say…thank you. Thank you one and all, you ugly, fat-faced bunch of wet, sniveling traitors."

"Yes, quite." Albert said. "Very funny. But I thi-"

"No, no." Saxon interrupted again. "That wasn't funny."

He stood up.

"Hm, you see, I'm not making myself very clear." Saxon told them. "Funny is like this." He gave them an exaggerated smile. "Not funny is like this." He gave a frown. "And right now, I'm not like this…" smile, "I'm like this…" frown, "because you are traitors. Oh yes, you are! As soon as you saw the vote swinging my way, you abandoned your parties and you jumped on the Saxon bandwagon. So…" He sat back down. "This is your reward."

He reached under the table and took out a gas mask, slipping it over his head.

"Excuse me, Prime Minister." Albert said slowly. "Do you mind my asking…what is that?"

"It's a gas mask." Saxon told him, his voice muffled by the gas mask.

"I beg your pardon?" Albert asked.

Saxon lifted his gas mask.

"It's a gas mask." He repeated before replacing it.

"Yes, but, uh, why are you wearing it?" Albert asked.

"Well, because of the gas." Saxon replied, his voice once again muffled by the mask.

"I'm sorry?" Albert asked.

Saxon lifted the mask again.

"Because of the gas." He repeated, again replacing the mask.

"What gas?" Albert asked.

Saxon leaned back in his chair.

"This gas." He said through his mask.

Suddenly, the center of all the speaker phones on the table popped up and began to emit a white gas. A second later, all the Ministers began to cough and choke as they were poisioned.

"You're insane!" Albert yelled.

Saxon gave him two thumbs up as he watched him die. When all was silent again, he leaned forward and began tapping a rhythm on the table. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Over and over again.

* * *

"Home." Martha sighed as she lead them through her door.

"What have you got?" The Doctor demanded. "Computer, laptop, anything?"

Jack pulled out his cell phone and began to make a call.

"Jack, who are you calling?" Lily asked. "You can't tell anyone we're here!"

"I'm just trying to call Ianto." He told her. "He's not picking up."

"Here you go." Martha said, handing her laptop to the Doctor. "Any good?"

"I can show you the Saxon websites." Jack said, taking the laptop. "He's been around for ages."

He sat down at the desk and started up the computer.

"Doctor." Lily said softly.

"What?" he asked, walking over to her.

"He knew me." She said so only he could hear.

"What do you mean?" he asked, keeping his voice equally as low.

"His watch." She explained. "I felt it call out to me. And then, in the lab, when Jack came in supporting me. It was almost like he was worried about me."

"I don't know Lily." The Doctor said. "But I promise, he won't hurt you." He grasped her chin and made her look at him. "I won't let him."

She stared into his eyes for a moment before nodding. He hugged her and she held on to his jacket tightly.

"That's so weird though." Martha said as they pulled away from each other and rejoined the group. "It's the day after the election. That's only four days after I met you."

"We went flying all around the universe while he was here the whole time." The Doctor said, looking over Jack's shoulder.

"You gonna tell us who he is?" Martha asked.

"He's a Time Lord." Lily said simply.

"What about the rest of it?" Martha asked. "I mean, who'd call himself the Master?"

"That's all you need to know." The Doctor told her. He turned back to Jack. "Come on, show me Harold Saxon."

Martha sighed and walked over to her flashing answering machine.

"Martha, where are you?" came Tish's voice. "I've got this new job. You won't believe it. It's weird, they just phoned me up out of the blue. I'm working for-"

"Oh, like it matters." Martha muttered as she hit the stop button.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but you're not allowed in-" Tish told the woman as she barged through.

"Harold Saxon: A Modern Churchill." The woman said. "It's the definitive think piece on the man himself."

She handed a copy of the article in question.

"Oh, come on, sweetheart." The woman said. "You must've read it!"

"Um, not really, sorry." Tish said. "I'm new."

"Mr. Saxon does like a pretty face." The woman said. "But I'm here to see Mrs. Saxon."

The woman barged into the room to find Mrs. Saxon massaging her feet.

"Mrs. Saxon, Vivien Rook, Sunday Mirror." She said, holding up her press credentials. "You've heard of me."

"Oh, can't I just have an hour to myself?" Mrs. Saxon asked. "It's been a hell of a day."

"Oh, strike while the iron's hot, that's what I say, Lucy." Vivien said. "I can call you Lucy, can't I? Now, everyone's talking about Harold Saxon, but I thought, 'What about the wife?' All I need is twenty minutes."

"Oh, I think maybe we should wait." Lucy said, glancing nervously at the door.

"The headline's waiting to print: The Power Behind the Throne." Vivien enticed.

"Really?" Lucy asked, intrigued.

"Britain's First Lady." Vivien replied.

"Gosh." Lucy said, leaning back.

"Front page." Vivien told her.

"Oh, well, I suppose…" Lucy hesitated. "Oh, go on then. Twenty minutes."

"Excellent! Thank you!" Vivien said, taking off her coat. "Oh, oh, what was it? Oh, Tish. Now you can leave us alone."

"No, but I'm supposed to sit in." Tish protested.

"No, no. It's-it's only a profile piece." Vivien told her. "You know, hair and clothes and nonsense. There's a good girl. Out you go. That's it."

She handed her coat to Tish and shooed her out.

She quickly turned back to Lucy.

"Mrs. Saxon, I have reason to believe that you are in very great danger." She said seriously. "All of us, in fact. Not just the country, but the whole world."

Lucy scoffed.

"I beg of you, hear me out." Vivien begged.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy demanded.

"Your husband is not who he says he is." Vivien told her. "I'm sorry, but it's a lie. Everything's a lie."

* * *

The group huddled around the small computer, watching testimonials from famous people.

"I'm voting Saxon." Sharon Osbourne said. "He can tick my box any day."

"Are people really going to vote for someone because Sharon Osbourne says they should?" Lily wanted to know.

"Vote Saxon!" McFly proclaimed. "Go Harry!"

"I think Mr. Saxon is exactly what this country needs." Ann Widdecombe told them. "He's a very fine man." She looked up at him. "And he's handsome too."

Jack stopped the commercial.

"Former Minister of Defense." He told them. "First came to prominence when he shot down the Racnoss on Christmas Eve."

He turned to face the Doctor and Lily who were sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Nice work, by the way." He told them. "I don't think I ever said that."

"Thanks." The Doctor replied.

"He goes back years." Martha told them. "He's famous. Everyone knows his story. Look. Cambridge University, Ruby blue, won the Athletics thing, wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life."

* * *

"All of it." Vivien told Lucy. "The school days, his degree, even his mother and father. It's all invented."

She took out a photo of Saxon and held it up.

"Look, Harold Saxon never went to Cambridge." She continued. "There was no Harold Saxon. The thing is, it's obvious. The forgery is screaming out and yet no one can see it. It's as if he's mesmerized the entire world."

"I think you should leave now." Lucy told her.

"Eighteen months ago he became real." Vivien told her. She held up another photo. "This is his first, honest-to-God appearance, just after the downfall of Harriet Jones. And at the same exact time, they launched the Archangel Network."

"Mrs. Rook, now stop it." Lucy demanded.

"Even now," Vivien said, standing up. "They say the-the Cabinet has gone into seclusion. I mean, what does that mean, 'seclusion'?"

"How should I know?" Lucy asked.

"But I've got plenty of research on you." She told her. "Yes, good family, Roedean, not especially bright, but essentially harmless."

She sat down on the couch next to Lucy.

"And that's why I'm asking you, Lucy." Vivien said. "I'm begging you. If you have seen anything, heard anything, even the slightest thing that would give you cause to doubt him…"

"I think…" Lucy said softly.

"Yes?" Vivien asked.

"There was a time, when we first met, I wondered…" Lucy said. "But he was so good to my father. And he said…"

"What?" Vivien pushed. "Just tell me sweetheart."

"The thing is…" Lucy said. "I made my choice."

"I'm sorry?" Vivien asked.

"For better or for worse." Lucy said. "Isn't that right, Harry?"

Vivien looked up to see Saxon leaning in the doorway.

"My faithful companion." He replied.

"Mr. Saxon." Vivien said, getting up quickly. "Prime Minister. I-I-I was just having a little joke with poor little Lucy. I-I didn't mean-"

"Oh, but you're absolutely right." Saxon interrupted, walking to the center of the room. "Harold Saxon doesn't exist."

"Then tell me…" Vivien demanded. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Master." He replied. "And these…" he held out his hands, "are my friends."

Four metal spheres appeared out of thin air and floated around him.

"I'm sorry?" Vivien asked, staring at the spheres.

"Can't you hear it, Mrs. Rook?" the Master asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The drumbeat." He replied. "The drums coming closer and closer."

Knives suddenly extended from the bottom of the spheres.

"The lady doesn't like us." One of them said in a childish female voice.

The spheres advanced on Vivien, the knives spinning.

"Silly lady." Another said, this voice still childish, but male.

"Dead lady." A third sphere said, also male.

Vivien screamed as The Master and Lucy ran for the door, slamming it shut behind them.

The Master took a deep breath before opening the door again, Vivien's screams once again audible. He winced as Lucy turned her face away and he closed the door again. He opened the door again, Vivien still screaming, and closed it again quickly, putting his fist up to his mouth.

"But she knew." Lucy told him. "Harry, she knew everything. You promised. You said Archangel was 100%."

"Oh, 99, 98?" he told her.

"But if she's asking questions, then who else?" Lucy demanded. "How much time have we got?"

The Master held out his arms and fold her into a hug.

"Tomorrow morning, I promise." He told her softly. "That's when everything ends."

A/N: Can I just say, I know it's kind of egotistical, but I love the imagery of Lily and The Doctor facing off against Lucy and the Master. Anyway, how many of you watched Cold Blood and wanted to track down Steven Moffat to kick his ass? Let me know, and let me know what you think of the chapter.

Abbey


	71. The Sound of Drums: What You're On

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Doctor Who. No that's not true, I wish I owned David Tennant and Matt Smith.

Ch. 71:

Lily helped Jack carry tea out to the Doctor and Martha.

"But he's got a TARDIS." Jack said as he handed a cup to Martha. "Maybe the Master went back in time and has been living here for decades."

Lily walked over to the desk and handed the Doctor a cup.

_Thanks._ He said.

She smiled and sat on the floor next to him.

"No." he answered Jack.

"Why not?" Jack asked. "Worked for me."

"When he was stealing the TARDIS, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates." The Doctor told them. "I locked them permanently. He can only travel between the year 100 trillion and the last place the TARDIS landed, which is right here, right now."

"Yeah, but a little leeway?" Jack said.

"He's been here eighteen months." Lily said. "Tops."

"How do you know?" the Doctor asked.

Lily shrugged.

"I just do." She answered. "I don't know how."

"She's right." The Doctor said, turning back to the others. "The most he could have been here is eighteen months. So how has he managed all this? The Master was always sort of…hypnotic, but this is on a massive scale."

"I was gonna vote for him." Martha said.

"Really?" the Doctor said.

"Well, it was before I even met you." She told him. "And I liked him."

"Me too." Jack said.

"Why do you say that?" the Doctor asked him. "What was his policy? What did he stand for?"

"I dunno." Martha said, sounding kind of out of it. "He always sounded…good."

Her fingers began to tap out a rhythm on the arm of the couch.

"Like you could trust him." She continued, oblivious. "Just nice. He spoke about…I can't really remember, but it was good. Just the sound of his voice."

"What's that?" Lily demanded, pointing at Martha's hand.

"What?" Martha asked, startled out of her trance.

"That!" The Doctor said. "That tapping, that rhythm! What are you doing?"

"I dunno." Martha said defensively. "It's nothing. It's j-I dunno!"

They were distracted by a window popping up on the computer that said "SAXON BROADCAST ALL CHANNELS".

Lily turned on the TV.

"Our lord and master is speaking to his kingdom." The Doctor said.

On screen, The Master was sitting in front of an ornate fireplace.

* * *

"Britain, Britain, Britain." The Master said into the camera.

Off to the side was Lucy, smiling.

"What extraordinary times we've had." He continued. "Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies. You've seen it happen-Big Ben destroyed, a space ship over London. All those ghosts and metal men. The Christmas Star that came to kill. Time and time again, the government told you nothing. Well not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose here today is to tell you this: citizens of Great Britain…I have been contacted. A message, for humanity, from beyond the stars."

He nodded to someone off camera.

* * *

Lily moved to the Doctor's side as they watched a sphere appear on the screen.

"People of the Earth." It said. "We come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship."

"Ooh, sweet." The Master said, appearing again on the screen. "And this species had identified itself. They're called the Toclafane."

"What?" Lily and the Doctor exclaimed at once.

"And tomorrow morning they will appear." The Master continued. "Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman, and child. Every teacher, and chemist, and lorry driver, and farmer. And every…oh, I don't know…medical student?"

The Doctor jumped up and turned Martha's TV around to find a bomb almost at zero.

"Go!" Lily shouted.

They ran for the door, the Doctor only pausing to grab his coat and the laptop.

They managed to get outside just as the bomb went off.

The Doctor instinctively covered Lily as debris rained down on them.

_Okay?_ He asked her.

She nodded and he turned to the others.

"All right?" he asked.

"Fine, yeah, fine." Jack answered.

"Martha?" he asked, turning to her.

She already had her phone out and was dialing.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"He knows about me." She said. "What about my family?"

"Don't tell them anything!" he ordered.

"I'll do what I like!" she yelled at him. "Mum?" she called as the phone picked up. "Oh, my God, you're there."

"Course I'm here sweetheart." Francine answered. "You all right?"

"I'm fine." Martha answered. "I'm fine. Mum, has there been anyone asking about me?"

* * *

"Martha, I think perhaps you should come 'round." Francine said, glancing at the blonde woman listening in on the conversation beside her.

"I can't!" Martha told her. "Not now!"

"No, but it's your father." Francine told her quickly. "We've been talking and we thought we might give it another go."

"Don't be so daft!" Martha said. "Since when?"

"Just come 'round." Francine told her. "Come to the house, we can celebrate."

"You'd never get back with him in a million years." Martha said slowly.

"Ask him yourself." Francine said, handing the phone to Clive.

"Martha, it's me." He said.

"Dad?" Martha asked. "What are you doing there?"

"Like your mother said, come 'round." He told her. "We can explain everything."

"Dad? Just say yes or no." Martha said. "Is there someone else there?"

Clive hesitated.

"Yes!" he shouted running from the table. "Just run!"

"Clive!" Francine called.

"Listen to me!" Clive called. "Just run!"

He was grabbed and slammed into a wall by two men.

"I don't know who they are!" he yelled.

"We're trying to help her!" Francine shouted. "Martha, don't listen to him!"

"Dad!" Martha yelled into the phone. "What's going on? Dad?"

She closed her phone and ran towards her car.

"I gotta help them!" she yelled.

"That's exactly what they want!" the Doctor told her. "It's a trap!"

"I don't care!" Martha shouted.

The Doctor got in the front passenger seat as Jack and Lily got in the back.

Martha drove fast and furiously to get to her parents.

"Corner!" the Doctor shouted, pointing.

Martha turned sharply, her tires squealing.

She pulled out her phone and dialed a new number.

"C'mon, Tish." She said. "Pick up."

"Martha, I can't talk right now." Tish said when she picked up. "We just made first contact. Did you see-"

Suddenly, two men grabbed her by the arms and began to pull her away.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, dropping her phone. "Get off! Linda, tell them!"

"What's happening?" Martha yelled. "Tish!"

She glared at the Doctor.

"It's your fault!" she told him. "It's all your fault!"

They turned another corner to see Francine being led into the back of a van.

"Martha, get out of here!" they heard her shout. "Get out!"

"Martha, reverse." Lily said quietly as men raised their guns and pointed them at the car.

"Get out, now!" the Doctor shouted.

Martha threw the car and reverse and started to speed away when the back window exploded in a hail of gun fire.

Lily's head whipped around, her eyes glowing, and a wall of gold sped away from the car, knocking the men down.

"Move it!" Jack shouted.

* * *

"The only place we can go… Planet Earth." Martha said sarcastically as they sped down the road. "Great."

"Careful!" the Doctor shouted.

"Now, Martha, listen to me." Jack said calmly. "Do as I say. We've gotta ditch this car. Pull over. Right now!"

Lily laid her hand on Martha's shoulder.

"Martha, trust him." She said quietly. "Do as he says."

Martha glanced in the rear view mirror and nodded.

They quickly found a bridge to ditch the car under and took off on foot.

"Martha, come on." The Doctor called.

"Leo!" Martha said into her phone, ignoring him. "Oh, thank God! Leo, you gotta listen to me. Where are you?"

"I'm in Brighton." He told her. "We came down with Boxer. Did you see that Saxon thing on telly?"

"Leo, just listen to me." Martha told him. "Don't go home, I'm telling you. Don't phone Mum, or Dad, or Tish. You gotta hide."

"Shut up." He said, not believing her.

"On my life." She told him. "You've gotta trust me. Go to Boxer's. Stay with him. Don't tell anyone! Just hide."

"Ooh, a nice little game of hide-and-seek." A new voice said. "I love that. But I'll find you, Martha Jones. Been a long time since we saw eachother. Must be what, one hundred trillion years?"

Martha stopped dead.

"Let them go, Saxon." She said.

The Doctor and Lily both turned and ran back to her.

"Do you hear me?" she continued. "Let them go!"

The Doctor took the phone and walked away, Lily following behind.

"I'm here." He said.

"Doctor." The Master said seriously.

"Master." The Doctor replied.

"I like it when you use my name." he told him.

"You chose it." The Doctor said. "Psychiatrist's field day."

"And you chose yours." The Master replied. "The man who makes people better. How sanctimonious is that?"

"So…" the Doctor said. "Prime Minister."

"I know." The Master gushed. "It's good, isn't it? But before we go on, where is your dear Lily? She's never far from your side, is she, your dear bond mate? Put her on."

The Doctor exchanged a look with Lily, who nodded. He sighed and put the phone on speaker.

"I'm here, Master." She said.

"Yes you are, aren't you?" he said. "I've missed you."

"How do you know me?" she demanded.

He didn't say anything.

"Master?" she called.

"How can you not know?" he asked in a low voice.

"All that research I'm sure you did on the Doctor and me, and you missed this fact?" she asked. "I think you're losing your touch."

"Tell me." He ordered.

"I'm human, my dear Master." She told him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Just that." She replied. "My parents made me human to hide me from the Time War. Everything Time Lord is hidden away in a watch."

"You don't remember anything?" he asked softly.

"Just little things, here and there." She replied. "Things the Doctor knows."

"That's too bad." The Master said.

He sounded almost sad.

"Who are those creatures?" the Doctor demanded. "'Cause there's no such thing as the Toclafane. It's just a made up name, like the Bogeyman."

"Do you remember all those fairy tales about the Toclafane when we were kids?" he asked the Doctor. "Back home. Where is it, Doctor?"

"Gone." The Doctor replied.

"How can Gallifrey be gone?" the Master demanded.

"It burnt." The Doctor told him, sitting down on a bench with Lily standing next to him.

"And the Time Lords?" the Master asked.

"Dead." The Doctor answered. "And the Daleks…more or less. What happened to you?"

"The Time Lords only resurrected me because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War." The Master told them. "I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran. I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me because…I was so scared."

"I know." The Doctor replied.

"All of them?" the Master asked. "But not you, which must mean…"

"I was the only one who could end it." The Doctor told him. "And I tried. I did. I tried everything."

Lily rested her hand on his head.

"What did it feel like, though?" the Master asked. "Two almighty civilization, burning. Oh, tell me how did it feel?"

"Stop it!" the Doctor said.

"You must have been like God." The Master continued, ignoring him.

"Stop it." Lily commanded.

They were both surprised when he obeyed.

"I've was alone ever since, until I found first Lily, and now you." The Doctor said. "We're not alone anymore. Don't you see, all we've got is each other."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" the Master asked sarcastically. "Won't Lily have a problem with that?"

"You could stop this right now." The Doctor told him. "We could leave this planet. We could fight across the constellations if that's what you want. But not on Earth."

"No." the Master replied.

"Please." Lily begged. "Please, Master. This is my home. These are my people, my family."

"No." the Master said harshly. "Gallifrey was your home. Those were your people and your family. Not these puny mortals."

"Maybe that's true." Lily said softly. "But I'm still asking you to come away with us."

"It's too late." The Master said after a moment.

"Why do you say that?" the Doctor asked.

"The drumming." The Master answered, beginning to drum his fingers on the table. "I thought it would stop, but it never does. Never ever stops. Inside my head, the drmming, Doctor. The constant drumming."

"I could help you." The Doctor told him. "Please, let me help."

"It's everywhere." The Master continued. "Listen, listen, listen."

He continued tapping on the table.

"Here come the drums." He told them. "Here come the drums."

The Doctor and Lily noticed a man leaning on a wall, tapping the same rhythm.

"What have you done?" the Doctor demanded. "Tell me how you've done this. What are those creatures? Tell me!"

"Ooh, look." The Master said suddenly. "You're on TV."

"Stop it!" the Doctor ordered. "Answer me!"

"No, really." The Master told him. "You're on telly. You and your mate and your little band, which, by the way, is ticking every demographic box, so congratulations on that. Look, there you are! Ha!"

The Doctor and Lily spotted a TV in a window shop nearby and made their way over.

"They are known to be armed and extremely dangerous." The newscaster was saying as pictures of all four of them appeared on screen.

"You're public enemies number one, two, three, and four." The Master said. "Oh, and you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, so he won't be getting any help from them."

Martha and Jack quickly joined them.

"Now, go on, off you go." The Master told them. "Why not start by turning to the right?"

The Doctor and Lily both turned and saw a camera.

"He can see us." The Doctor said, pointing the sonic screwdriver at the camera and shorting it out.

"Ooh, you public menace." The Master said. "Better start running. Go on. Run!"

"He's got control of everything." Lily said.

"What do we do?" Martha asked.

"We've got nowhere to go." Jack said.

"Doctor, what do we do?" Martha asked again.

"Run for your life, Doctor!" The Master yelled.

The Doctor shut the phone.

"We run." He said.

He took Lily's hand and the four of them ran as fast as they could away from there.

A/N: How do you think the Master knows Lily? First one to get it right in a review gets a shout out in the Author's Notes when it's revealed! So review, review, review!

Abbey


	72. The Sound of Drums: The Price We Pay

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. I'm totally serious. Why are you laughing? Stop laughing at me!

Ch. 72:

"Tomorrow morning, Britain will be welcoming an extraterrestrial species…"

Click.

"The President is said to furious that Great Britain has taken unilateral action."

Click.

Chinese news.

Click.

Teletubbies.

The Master sat at the table, fascinated by the show in front of him. He didn't even react when one of the Toclafane appeared.

"Have you seen these things?" he asked without turning. "This planet's amazing. Television in their stomachs. Now that is evolution."

"Is the machine ready?" the Toclafane asked in a female voice.

"Tomorrow morning." He answered. "It reaches critical at 8:02 precisely."

"We have to escape." She told him. "Because it's coming, sir. The darkness, the never ending darkness. The terrible, terrible cold. We have to run and run and run!"

"8:00 tomorrow morning." He promised. He got up and walked to the window. "Tell your people. The world is waiting."

The Toclafane disappeared and the Master stood, watching the rain.

* * *

Martha walked into the disused warehouse the others were occupying carrying a takeout bag in her hand. She found the Doctor still at the laptop, Jack messing with his manipulator, and Lily pacing and muttering to herself a little ways away.

"How was it?" Jack asked, getting up to take the food from her.

"I don't think anyone saw me." Martha told him.

They passed out food and Jack opened his mouth to call Lily, but the Doctor caught his eye and shook his head. He held out his hand and Jack passed him Lily's food, which he set next to him.

"Anything new?" Martha asked.

"I've tuned this into the government wavelength so we can follow what Saxon's doing." Jack told her, motioning to his manipulator.

"Yeah, I meant about my family." Martha said.

"It still says the Jones family taken in for questioning." The Doctor told her. "Tell you what, though, no mention of Leo."

"He's not as daft as he looks." Martha said with a brief smile. "I'm talking about my brother on the run. How did this happen?"

Jack sat down and took a bite of his food.

"Nice chips." He said.

"Actually, they're not bad." The Doctor agreed, popping one in his mouth.

Martha sat down and exchanged a look with Jack, nodding her head in the Doctor's direction.

"So, Doctor, who is he?" Jack asked. "How come the ancient society of Time Lords created a psychopath?"

"And what is he to you?" Martha added. "Like a colleague…"

"A friend at first." The Doctor replied.

"I thought you were gonna say he was your secret brother or something." Martha said.

The Doctor and Jack both stared at her.

"You've been watching too much TV." The Doctor finally told her.

They jumped as Lily let out a frustrated scream and threw her watch at the wall. It bounced off it with clang and opened to let loose a wisp of gold before shutting again. Lily sank to her knees and didn't move.

Jack made to go to her, but the Doctor shook his head again. He set aside his food and got up and walked over to her.

"Lily." He said gently, kneeling down to wrap his arms around her.

She turned and buried her head in his chest with a sob, holding his jacket tightly in her hands.

"I need to know." She said. "I need to know who he is to me and that stupid thing won't tell me anything.

"I know." He said gently. "I promise you we'll figure it out."

She gave him a piercing look.

"You have an idea, don't you?" she asked him shrewdly.

He hesitated before nodding.

"But I don't want to say anything until I'm sure." He told her. "You were born after I had left Gallifrey. I could be wrong."

He got to his feet pulling her with him. He led her to where her watch lay and gently picked it up, handing it to her.

"I swear that when the time is right, you'll know who he is." He told her. "But right now, you need to eat, and we need to plan."

She took the watch and nodded, letting him lead her back to the others.

"Back to my question." Jack said when they had gotten settled. "All the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect, so how did they produce someone as far gone and the Master seems to be?"

"Well, Gallifrey was perfect to look at, maybe." The Doctor answered. "And it was. It was beautiful." He leaned back, resting his foot up on the table. "They used to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Moutains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords. The oldest and most mighty race in the universe, looking down on the galaxies below, sworn never to interfere, only to watch."

The Doctor took a deep breath and continued.

"Children of Gallifrey were taken from their families at the age of eight to enter the Academy." He told them. "And some say that's where it all began. When he was a child. That's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation and he stood in front of the Untempered Schism. It's a gap in the fabric of reality, through which could be seen the whole of the Vortex. You stand there, eight years old, staring at the raw power of time and space. Just a child. Some would be inspired…some would run away…and some would go mad."

He sighed.

"I don't know." He said.

"What about you two?" Martha asked, looking at him and Lily.

"Oh, the ones that ran away." The Doctor replied. "I never stopped."

"I ran too." Lily said slowly, holding the watch tightly. "But not from it. I ran to it. Even back then, I had a special connection to the Vortex."

She glared at the watch.

"How come I can know that, but I can't know how a raving psychopath knows me?" she asked the Doctor, who shrugged.

"You were bound to the temple?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Uh, yeah, for the rest of us, what does that mean?" Jack asked.

"The priestesses of the temples were some of the most powerful people in our society." The Doctor explained. "Any girl who didn't show fear in the face of the schism was sent to the temples instead of the Academy, to be trained as one of them. They kept our records and our rituals. Our governments rose and fell at a wave of their hands. Some were even rumored to be able to see the future."

"And Lily was going to be one of them?" Martha asked, amazed.

"Yeah, and I was bored out of my mind." Lily told them, her mind caught up in the images her watch was showing her. "I wanted to travel the stars, not spend my life inside four walls."

She shook her head and glared at the watch.

"If you think showing me that makes up for not telling me what I need to know, you are sorely mistaken." She told it severely before shoving it back in her pocket.

They were distracted as Jack's manipulator beeped.

"Encrypted channel with files attached." He said. "Don't recognize it."

"Patch it through to the laptop." The Doctor told him.

He did as the Doctor said and the Torchwood logo appeared.

"I still can't believe you work for Torchwood." The Doctor said.

"Suck it up." Lily said. "Jack works for Torchwood. I worked for Torchwood. Hell, Rose probably still works for Torchwood in her reality." She reached over and took his chips. "And I'm stealing your fries."

He sighed and went back to the screen.

A video file began to play and a blonde woman appeared on the screen.

"If I haven't returned to my desk by 2200 hours, this file will be emailed to Torchwood." She said. "Which means, if you're watching this, then I'm… Anyway, the Saxon files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Harry Saxon became Minister in charge of launching the Archangel Network."

The video changed to show a graphic of Earth surrounded by fifteen satellites.

"What's the Archangel Network?" Lily asked, still munching on the Doctor's chips.

"I've got Archangel." Martha told them, pulling out her phone. "Everyone's got it."

"It's the mobile phone network." Jack explained to Lily and the Doctor. "'Cause, look, it's gone worldwide. They've got fifteen satellites in orbit. Even the other networks, they're all carried by Archangel."

The Doctor took Martha's phone and used the sonic screwdriver on it.

"It's in the phones!" he exclaimed. "Oh, I said he was a hypnotist! Wait, wait, wait. Hold on."

He hit the phone on the table and it began to beep in the same rhythm as before. "There it is. That rhythm, it's everywhere. Ticking away in the subconscious."

"What is it, mind control?" Martha asked.

"It sounds like a heartbeat." Lily said.

Jack and Martha looked at her and she shrugged.

"What?" she said. "Two hearts, four beats. That's what my mind recognizes as normal."

"It's not mind control." The Doctor continued on. "It's subtler than that. Any stronger and people would question it. But contained in that rhythm, in layers of code…Vote Saxon. Believe in me. Whispering to the world. Oh, yes! That's how he hid himself from me!" he said excitedly. "'Cause I should have sensed there was another Time Lord on Earth. I should have known way back. The signal cancelled him out."

"Anyway you can stop it?" Jack asked.

"Not from down here." The Doctor answered. "But now we know how he's doing it."

"And we can fight back." Martha said.

"Oh, yes!" the Doctor exclaimed.

The Doctor spent the next hour dismantling the laptop and Martha's phone. He then had each of them give him their TARDIS key. Then, he combined some of the circuitry from the electronics with the TARDIS keys, before hanging them on bits of string.

"Four TARDIS keys, four pieces of the TARDIS with low level perception properties because the TARDIS is designed to blend in. Well, sort of…" he told them.

"That's why I couldn't see Lily's keys until she showed them to me, even though she wears them on her wrist." Martha said.

"Exactly." The Doctor agreed. "Now, the Archangel Network's got a second low-level signal. Weld the key to the network and…Martha."

He took a step back.

"Look at me." He said. "You can see me, yes?"

"Yep!" she replied.

"What about now?" he asked before slipping the key over his head.

Martha's eyes quickly slid off him. She shook her head and tried to focus, but she just could seem to. It didn't help that both Jack and Lily were chuckling in the background.

"No, I'm here." The Doctor said. "Look at me."

"It's like…I know you're there, but I don't want to know." Martha said, still trying to focus.

"And back again." He said as he slipped the key off again. "See? It just shifts your perception a time little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed."

"But I could see you the whole time." Lily protested.

"You're my bond mate." The Doctor pointed out. "I don't think it even possible to hide from each other without tremendous effort. Like, Earth shattering effort."

He walked off before stopping and turning back.

"Oh, I know what it's like." He said. "It's like-it's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like."

He held out his hand to Lily who quickly took it.

"Come on!" he called as they walked off.

Martha turned and glanced at Jack, who smiled slightly.

"You too, huh?" he asked.

* * *

They walked out onto the street and the Doctor handed them their keys.

"Don't run." He told them. "Don't shout. Just keep your voice down. Draw attention to yourself and the spell is broken. Just keep to the shadows."

"Like ghosts." Jack said.

"That's going to be really hard for you, Jack." Lily said with a smirk.

"Not as hard as it will be for you, Lils." He shot back.

"Don't make me separate you two." The Doctor said.

Jack and Lily sighed, but didn't continue fighting. They all slipped on their keys before making their way into the city.

* * *

The Master and Lucy stood on the tarmac as Air Force One came to a stop.

"Mr. President, sir!" the Master called.

"Mr. Saxon, the British Army will stand down." The American President told him without preamble. "From now on, UNIT has control of this operation."

"You make it sound like an invasion." The Master said.

"First contact policy was decided by the Security Council in 1968." The President told him. "And you've just gone and ignored it."

"Well you know what it's like." The Master replied. "New job, all that paperwork. I think it's down the back of the settee. I did have a quick look. I found a pen a sweet, a bus ticked and uh…have you met the wife?"

"Mr. Saxon, I'm not sure what your game is, but there are provisions at the United Nations to have you removed from office unless you are very, very careful. Is that understood?"

The Master mimed zipping his lips.

"Are you taking this seriously?" the President demanded.

The Master nodded very solemnly.

"To business." The President said. "We've accessed your files on these…Toclafane."

No one noticed Martha, Jack, Lily, and the Doctor standing in the background.

"First contact cannot take place on any sovereign soil." The President continued. "For that purpose, the aircraft carrier Valiant is en route. The rendezvous will take place there at 8:00 am."

The Master mumbled as if trying to speak through zipped lips.

"You're trying my patience, sir." The President told him.

The Master mimed unzipping his lips.

"So America is completely in charge?" he asked.

"Since Britain elected an ass, yes." The President replied. "I'll see you onboard the Valiant."

He turned to leave, but stopped when the Master called after him.

"It still will be televised, though, won't it?" he asked. "Because I promised and the whole world is watching."

"Since it's too late to pull out, the world will be watching." The President replied. "Me."

He walked to a waiting car and got in.

"The last President of the America." The Master said in low voice to Lucy. "We have a private plane ready and waiting. We should reach the Valiant within the hour."

He motioned for Lucy to go first.

"My darling." He said sweetly.

The Master watched as the President's car drove away before turning to look where the Doctor and company stood. He was soon distracted, though, by the arrival of a police van. The back opened and the Jones' were lead out in handcuffs. The Master ran over to them, greeting them like friends.

"Hi, guys!" he called, laughing. "All will be revealed!"

"Oh my God." Martha said.

Lily quickly grabbed her arm and held her in place.

"Don't move." The Doctor said quietly.

"But…" Martha protested.

"Don't." Lily told her.

"I'm gonna kill him." Martha growled as she watched her family be led into a Land Rover.

"Say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack said viciously.

"Now that sounds like Torchwood." The Doctor said.

"Still a good plan." Jack said.

"You can't kill him." Lily said. "Promise me you won't."

"Lily." Jack said, shocked.

"Promise me, Jack." She repeated.

He sighed and nodded.

"He's a Time Lord, which makes him Lily's and my responsibility." The Doctor said. "We're not here to kill him. We're here to save him."

Jack nodded and looked at his manipulator.

"Aircraft carrier Valiant." He said. "It's a UNIT ship at 28.2N and 10.02E."

"How do we get onboard?" Martha asked.

"Does that think work as a teleport?" the Doctor asked Jack.

"Since you revamped it, yeah." Jack answered. "Coordinates set."

"Let's not overtax it." Lily said. "You three go, I'll follow."

"Are you sure?" the Doctor asked.

She nodded.

He quickly made sure the rest of them were touching the manipulator and a second later they were gone.

Lily stood still, watching the Master's car get further and further away.

"I may not know who you are to me," she said softly, "but I do know one thing. You're important enough that I can't seem to want you dead."

She stood a moment longer before disappearing in a flash of gold.

* * *

Lily appeared to find them all hunched over.

"Oh, that thing is rough." Martha moaned.

"I've had worse nights." Jack said.

"I don't see what you're problem is." Lily said, watching them all wince. "It's not that bad."

"Lily girl, not all of us are the vessel for all the power of the vortex." The Doctor pointed out.

"Anyway." Jack said, cracking his neck. "Welcome to the Valiant."

"It's dawn." Martha said, walking to a window. "Hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?"

"A ship for the 21st century." Jack told her. Protecting the skies of Planet Earth."

A/N: Ok, three chapters in one day. That's pretty good. Keep the thoughts on who the Master is to Lily coming. I'm not planning on revealing it until the end of Last of the Time Lords. So review! Also just a little side note, so of you may have noticed all my chapter names tend to have themes. Some are just alliteration or little jokes. Some don't have meanings beyond just what the chapter is about. But I just thought I'd point out that all of the chapters of Sound of Drums are named after Rogue Traders songs in honor of the fact that not only is their song, Voodoo Child, in this episode, the famous line "Here come the drums" and the title of the episode are both lines from that song. Just a fun fact.

Abbey


	73. The Sound of Drums: Speak & Destroy

Disclaimer: Totally serious, no jokes, no quips, no puns. I don't own Doctor Who. Oh, for God's sake!

Ch. 73:

"I want the whole thing branded in my seal, not the United Nations'." The President was saying as The Master and Lucy walked in. "Got that?"

"Anything I can do?" the Master asked as he walked up. "I could make tea or isn't that American enough? I don't know, I could make grits. What are grits, anyway?"

"You could just sit." The President told him.

"Misery guts." The Master muttered as he turned and led Lucy to the table. "What do you think?" he asked her. "It's good, isn't it?"

He pulled out her chair for her.

"It's beautiful." She told him, sitting.

"Some of my best work." He said.

He leaned down.

"Ministry of Defense." He whispered. "I helped design this place."

He sat down next to her.

"Every detail."

* * *

The Doctor led them through the corridors, when Lily suddenly stopped dead.

"We've no time for sightseeing!" Jack told her, trying to pull her along, but she stood her ground.

"Lily?" the Doctor asked.

She shut her eyes for a moment before opening them, beaming up at him.

"Can't you hear it?" she asked.

He shut his eyes for a moment before grinning.

"Hear what?" Jack asked.

"Doctor, my family's on board." Martha said, striding past.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor said. "This way!"

He and Lily took off down a new corridor, Martha and Jack following. They finally stopped in front of a door. The Doctor pulled it open to reveal the TARDIS.

"Oh, finally!" Lily breathed.

"Oh, yes!" Martha said with a laugh.

"What's it doing on the Valiant?" Jack wanted to know.

They ran through the doors, but were brought short by the sight in front of them.

Lily cried out as she saw the device built around the console and the whole room bathed in a sick red color.

"What the hell's he done?" Jack asked, wrapping his arm around Lily as they followed the Doctor up the ramp.

"Don't touch it." The Doctor ordered.

"I'm not going to." Jack replied.

"What's he done though?" Martha asked. "Sounds like it's…sick."

"How could he do this to her?" Lily moaned, putting her hand next to the cage, but not quite touching it.

"It can't be." The Doctor said, walking around. "No, no, no, no, no, no. It can't be."

"Doctor, what is it?" Martha demanded.

"He's cannibalized her." Lily said quietly, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Is that what I think it is?" Jack asked.

"It's a paradox machine." The Doctor answered.

* * *

"Two minutes, everyone!" the President as he climbed the steps. "According to the treaty, all armed personnel are requested to leave the flight deck immediately. Thank you."

"Jelly baby?" The Master asked, offering the bag to Lucy.

She took one and bit off it's head while he popped one in his mouth, whole.

"Broadcasting at 7:58 with the arrival timed at 0800 precisely." The President said. "And, uh, good luck to all of us."

* * *

"As soon as this hits red, it activates." The Doctor told them, kneeling in front of a gage. "As this speed, it'll trigger at…" He grabbed Jack's wrist to look at his watch, "two minutes past 8:00."

"First contact is at 8:00 and then two minutes later…" Jack said.

"What's it for?" Martha asked. "What's a paradox machine do?"

"More importantly, can you stop it?" Jack asked.

"Not until I know what it's doing." The Doctor told him. "Touch the wrong bit and blow up the solar system."

"Then we've got to get to the Master." Martha said.

"Yeah." Jack said. "How do we stop him?"

"Oh, I've got a way." The Doctor told them. "Sorry, didn't I tell you?"

He grinned up at them.

"I need to do something first." Lily said suddenly, moving away from them.

She reached up and removed the Firepoint from her neck.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked as she moved to the ladder leading to the catwalk around the control room.

"If this doesn't go according to plan, there is no way I'm letting the Master have my watch or the Firepoint." She replied.

She found a niche in the wall and tucked both items into it, pausing only to kiss her watch and brush her fingers against the stone. Then she made her way down the ladder into the Doctor's waiting arms.

"We have to go." Jack reminded them gently.

The Doctor nodded and they ran out the doors.

* * *

"My fellow Americans, patriots, peoples of the world…I stand before you today as ambassador for humanity, a role I will undertake with utmost solemnity." The President announced as they went live. "Perhaps our Toclafane cousins can offer us much, but what is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves anew."

Unoticed, the Doctor, Lily, Martha, and Jack made their way into the room. At least they thought so. Maybe it was coincidence, but The Master's smile fell at this moment.

"For as long as man has looked to the stars," the President continued, "he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone…"

"This plan, you gonna tell us?" Jack asked quietly.

"If I can this," he said, holding up his key, "around the Master's neck…cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real. It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert."

"Too bad it's not Mauve Alert." Lily said with a small grin at Jack, who returned it.

"If they stop me…you've all got keys." The Doctor continued, smiling slightly.

"Yes, sir." Jack replied.

"I'll get him." Martha promised.

"I need him alive." Lily reminded them. She stared resolutely forward, not looking at any of them. "I need to know."

"And I ask you now," the President continued. "I ask of the Human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane."

Four spheres appeared out of thin air around him.

"My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President of the United States of America and designated representative of the United Nations." He told them. "I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon."

"You're not the Master." One of the spheres said in a male voice.

"We like the Mr. Master." Another said, this one female.

"We don't like you." A second male voice said.

"I…can be Master, if you so wish." President Winters told them. "I will accept mastery over you if that is God's will."

"Man is stupid." The second male sphere said.

"Master is our friend." The first added.

"Where is my Master, pretty please?" the female asked.

"Oh all right then." The Master called. "It's me."

He stood up.

"Ta-da!" he said, laughing. He began to move towards the stairs. "Sorry. Sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy!"

"Saxon, what are you talkin' about?" Winters demanded.

"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam." The Master said, suddenly deadly serious. "Starting with you."

He looked at the Toclafane.

"Kill him." He told them.

One of the Toclafane shot Winters with a laser and he disintegrated. Chaos erupted as everyone tried to leave the room, but were stopped by men with guns.

"Guards!" The Master called, laughing.

"Nobody move!" the guards shouted. "Nobody move!"

"Now then, peoples of the Earth," the Master said into the camera. "Please attend carefully."

The Doctor rushed forward.

"Stop him!" a guard called.

Two guards grabbed the Doctor and forced him to kneel in front of the Master.

"We meet at last, Doctor." The Master said. "Oh, ho! I love saying that!"

"Stop this!" the Doctor yelled. "Stop it now!"

"As if a perception filter's gonna work on me." The Master told him. "Oh, and look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which." He turned serious. "Hello, Lily." He said softly.

Jack rushed forward and the Master fired a laser at him. Jack fell to the ground.

"Laser screwdriver, who'd have sonic?" he asked. "And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!"

Lily started to move forward, but a guard came up behind her and clipped a device around her neck. Lily cried out and fell to the ground. There was a soundless boom and she didn't move.

"If she's hurt, you die." The Master said, glaring at the guard. "Put her in one of the chairs."

The guard did as asked and the Master turned his attention back to the others as Martha rushed to Jack and the Doctor seemed to be struggling to get to Lily.

"It must kill you to not be able to get to her." The Master taunted the Doctor. He glared at the other Time Lord. "Well, guess what. She's not yours to protect. Not anymore."

"Master, just calm down." The Doctor said, refocusing on him. He blocked out the fact that he could no longer feel Lily in his mind. "Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself…"

The Master sighed.

"Oh, do excuse me," he said to the camera, "little bit of personal business. Back in a minute."

He turned back to the Doctor.

"Let him go." He told the guards.

The guards pushed the Doctor to the floor.

"It's the sound, the sound in your head." The Doctor said. "What if I could help?"

"Oh, how to shut him up?" the Master whined. "I know. Memory Lane!"

He sat down on the step in front of the Doctor.

"Professor Lazarus." He said. "Remember him? And his genetic manipulation device?"

Neither man noticed Lily starting to come around.

"Did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence?" the Master asked. "I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver…But, ooh, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh wait a minute, I do!"

He got up and ran to a silver case and opening it to reveal the Doctor's hand.

"I've got his hand!" the Master shouted. "And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?"

The Master aimed the screwdriver at the Doctor, who screamed as his genetic makeup twisted in on itself.

The Master looked up when he heard another scream to see Jack come back and Lily leap out of her seat and towards the Doctor.

"Stop her!" he ordered.

A guard grabbed her around the waist as she screamed and clawed to get to the Doctor.

"Stop!" she screamed. "Please, Master, stop! I'm begging you!"

"Teleport." Jack said to Martha, the confusion hiding his voice. He gave her his manipulator.

"I can't." she told him.

"We can't stop him." Jack replied. "Get out of here. Get out."

The Master let the Doctor go and nodded for the guard holding Lily to do the same.

Lily ran to the Doctor, who now looked like a very old man. She didn't even notice as Martha crawled to their side.

"Oh, Doctor." Lily whispered, tears running down her face as she gently touched his.

"Lily." He whispered.

"I'm here." She said as she leaned her forehead against his, grasping his hands. "I've got you."

"Aw, the would-be doctor wants to help." The Master said as Martha reached Lily and the Doctor. "But tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown 'em in all the way from prison-"

He threw his arm out and the door opened to reveal Francine, Clive, and Tish being led in by guards.

"Mum!" Martha yelled.

"I'm sorry." Francine told her, crying.

"The Toclafane, who are they?" the Doctor demanded, breathing hard. "Who are they?"

"Doctor, if I told you the truth," the Master said seriously, kneeling down in front of him, "your hearts would break."

"Is it time?" one of the male Toclafane asked.

"Is it ready?" the second male asked.

"Is the machine singing?" the female asked.

"Two minutes past." The Master said, looking at his watch. He mounted the steps to stand next to Lucy. "So! Earthlings." He said into the camera. "Basically, um, end of the world."

He held up the laser screwdriver.

"Here…come…the drums!"

Lily stared in horror as music began playing over the speakers. She reached for the Doctor in her mind and her hand flew to the device around her neck when she realized she couldn't feel him.

"Oh yes." The Master said, noticing her motion. "I am sorry, but I couldn't have you blasting me out of existence, now could I?"

He came and knelt in front of her.

"That does what the Doctor's serum did, just mechanically instead of chemically." He told her.

He reached out to touch the device but pulled his hand back when she flinched away.

"I'm sorry, Lily." He said softly. "If I had had a choice, you never would have seen me like this."

Lily glared at him but didn't say anything.

He sighed and got back to his feet.

"Harry!" Lucy called from the window.

The Master ran back to her and watched as Toclafane rained down from a giant rift in the sky.

"How many do you think?" he asked Lucy.

"I don't know." She breathed.

"Six billion." He told her.

He reached over and flipped on the external speakers.

"Down you go, kids!" he called.

The couple watched as the Toclafane began destroying indiscriminately.

"Shall we decimate them?" The Master asked Lucy. "That sounds good. Nice word-decimate. Remove one-tenth of the population!" he called to the Toclafane.

Lily hid her face in the Doctor's shoulder. Martha stared on, tears pouring down her face as messages from the surface began pouring in.

"Valiant, this is Geneva! We're getting slaughtered down here!"

Martha got up and moved away from the Doctor and Lily.

"Help us, for God's sake! Help us! They're everywhere!"

"This is London, Valiant! This is London calling! What do we do?"

Martha turned and looked at her family.

"They're killing us! The Toclafane are killing us!"

With a last look at Lily and the Doctor, Martha activated the teleporter and disappeared.

Jack and the Doctor exchanged a look over Lily's head, before the Doctor turned back to the Master.

* * *

Martha hit the ground in a field outside London. She got to her feet and observed with horror the destruction of the city.

"I'm coming back." She promised before turning and running off.

* * *

The Master held the Doctor between him and Lucy in front of the window, forcing him to watch the destruction of Earth. In the background, Jack moved to hold Lily.

"And so it came to pass…" the Master said. "That the human race fell and the Earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as master of all and I thought it…good."

A/N: The Sound of Drums is done in two days. One more episode and the season is done. Lots of good guesses! Keep them coming! All will be revealed in The Last of the Time Lords! Review, review, review!

Abbey


	74. Last of the Time Lords: Last Resistance

Disclaimer: No one believes me now when I say I don't own Doctor Who. My plan is working perfectly. Before you know it, I'll have booted Moffat out on his ass.

Ch. 74: Last of the Time Lords-Last Resistance

_Space lane traffic is advised to stay away from Sol 3, also known as Earth. Pilots are warned that Sol 3 is now entering terminal extinction. Planet Earth is closed. Planet Earth is closed. Planet Earth is closed._

* * *

_One Year Later_

A man stood on a beach holding a lamp up. He smiled when he saw an answering flash from off shore. A boat quickly made it's way to the beach and a figure in black jumped out and ran up to him.

"What's your name, then?" the woman asked.

"Tom Milligan." The man answered. "No need to ask who you are, the famous Martha Jones. How long since you were last in Britain?"

"365 days." Martha answered. "It's been a long year."

The two walked up the beach.

"So what's the plan?" Tom asked her.

"This Professor Docherty." Martha replied. "I need to see her. Can you get me there?"

"She works in a repair shed, Nuclear Plant 7." Tom told her. "I can get you inside. What's all this for? What's so important about her?"

"Sorry, the more you know, the more you're at risk." Martha replied.

"There's a lot of people depending on you." Tom told her. "You're a bit of a legend."

"What does the legend say?" Martha asked.

"That you sailed the Atlantic." He said. "Walked across America. That you're the only adult to get out of Japan alive. 'Martha Jones', they say, 'She's gonna save the world.' Bit late for that."

"How come you can drive?" Martha asked when she saw his truck. "Don't you get stopped?"

"Medical staff." He explained. "Used to be in pediatrics back in the old days. But that gives me alicense to travel so I can help out at the labor camps."

"Great." Martha said with an ironic smile. "I'm travelling with a doctor."

The both got into the truck.

"Story goes that you're the only person on Earth who can kill him." Tom told her. "That you, and you alone, can kill the Master stone dead."

"Let's just drive." Martha said.

* * *

"Citizens rejoice." came the Master's voice. "Your lord and master stands on high playing Track 3."

The Master came into the bridge, singing along.

"I can't decide whether you should live or die…"

He slid to Lucy who was dressed in a red gown.

"Though you'll probably go to Heaven. Please don't hang your head and cry…"

He kissed her and she returned it, but when he pulled away, she looked a little more than out of it and she had a bruise under her eye.

"No wonder why my heart feels dead inside. It's cold and hard and petrified. Lock the doors and close the blinds, we're goin' for a ride…"

The Master sat at the head of the table while Francine served him tea. He took one sip and spit it out.

"Oh, I could throw you in a lake or feed you poisoned birthday cake. I won't deny I'm gonna miss you when you're gone…"

The Master ran up the stairs and began ringing an old fashioned bell. The Doctor slowly crawled out of a tent with a straw floor and a bowl marked "Dog" next to it.

"Oh, I could bury you alive but you might crawl out with a knife and kill me when I'm sleeping, that's why…"

The Master forced the Doctor into a wheelchair.

"I can't decide whether you should live or die though you'll probably got to Heaven. Please don't hand your head and cry. No wonder why my heart feels dead inside. It's cold and hard and petrified. Lock the doors and close the blinds, we're goin' for a ride…"

The Master pushed the Doctor to the window.

"It's ready to rise, Doctor." He whispered. "The new Time Lord Empire. It's good, isn't it?"

The Doctor didn't say a word.

"Isn't it good? Anything? No? Anything?" he said, waving his hand in front of the Doctor's face. "Oh, but they broke your hearts, didn't they? Those Toclafane, ever since you worked out what they really are."

He leaned down to speak directly into the Doctor's ear.

"They say Martha Jones has come back home." He told the Doctor. "Now why would she do that?"

"Leave her alone." The Doctor growled.

"But you said something to her, didn't you?" the Master pushed on. "On the day I took control."

He knelt in front of the Doctor.

"What did you tell her?" he asked.

"I have one thing to say to you." The Doctor told him. "You know what it is."

"Oh, no you don't!" the Master said.

He got up and pushed the Doctor into a wall.

He walked back to the table as Lily came in, a guard close behind her.

"Lily, my dear!" he called. "You missed breakfast."

"I wasn't hungry." Lily said, walking over to the Doctor.

The Master watched as she knelt next to the Doctor.

"Hey." She said softly.

The Doctor raised his hand to brush her cheek before letting his hand fall back down.

"So, my dear." The Master said, pulling her away. "What do you want to do today? We should celebrate! Launch Day in 24 hours!"

"You know what we should do?" Lily said spitefully. "Cancel Launch Day and drop you off the side of the Valiant."

He grabbed her chin tightly.

"One day you're going to realize that my side is the one you want to be on." The Master told her.

He let go of her and walked away.

With his back to her, Lily glanced at the Doctor who nodded.

While Lily had distracted the Master, the Doctor had been passing a message. He pressed three fingers against his thigh as Francine passed. She walked through a corridor; pass Clive, who was mopping the floor. She held up three fingers for him to see and kept walking. A few moments later, Tish walked by and Clive laid three fingers against his mop. Tish carried a plate of food through a gate and up to Jack, who was suspended between two columns by chains attached to his wrists.

"Morning Tish." He called. "Ah, smell that sea air. Makes me long for good old fish and chips." He laughed. "Yeah, what do I get? Cold mashed seaweed. Some hotel. Last time I book over the internet."

Tish spooned some into his mouth and discreetly held up three fingers.

Jack winked.

* * *

Martha and Tom crouched down next to a ridge overlooking a ship yard. Behind them was a giant statue of the Master, carved out of stone.

"All over the Earth, those things." Martha said. "He's ever carved himself into Mount Rushmore."

"Best to keep down. Here we go." Tom told her as they peered over the rocks. "The entire south coast of England…converted into shipyards. They bring in slave labor every morning. Break up cars, houses, anything, just for the metal. Building a fleet out of scrap."

"You should see Russia." Martha told him. "That's Shipyard Number One. All the way from the Black Sea to the Bering Strait. There's 100,000 rockets ready for war."

"War?" Tom asked. "With who?"

"The rest of the universe." Martha replied. "I've been out there, Tom. In space. Before all this happened. And there's a thousand different civilizations, all around us, with no idea of what's happening here. The Master can build weapons big enough to devastate them all."

"You've been in space?" Tom asked.

"Problem with that?" Martha shot back.

"No." he said quickly. "No, just, uh…wow. Anything else I should know?"

"I've met Shakespeare." She said simply.

They saw two Toclafane come up behind them, and as Tom got up and faced them, Martha hid her face.

"Identify, little man." One demanded.

"I-I've got a license." Tom told them quickly. "Thomas Milligan, Peripatetic Medical Squad. I'm allowed to travel." He held up his license for them to see. "I was just checking f-"

"Soon the rockets will fly and everyone will need medicine." The other Toclafane interrupted. "You'll be so busy."

They laughed insanely and flew away.

Tom turned to look at Martha.

"But they didn't see you." He said.

Martha reached into her shirt and pulled out her TARDIS key.

"How do you think I travelled the world?" she asked.

They walked back to the truck as Martha explained.

"'Cause the Master set up Archangel, that mobile network, 15 satellites around the planet, but really it's transmitting a low-level psychic field." She told him. "That's how everyone got hypnotized into thinking he was Harold Saxon."

"Saxon." Tom said. "Feels like years ago."

"But the key's tuned into the same frequency." Martha continued. "Makes me sort of…not invisible, just unnoticeable."

"But I can see you." Tom pointed out.

"That's 'cause you wanted to." Martha told him with a laugh.

"Yeah, I suppose I did." He replied, smiling.

"Is there a Mrs. Milligan?" Martha asked him.

"No." he replied. "No. What about you?"

"There used to be." She said. "A long time ago. At least I thought there might be. But he chose someone else."

"He couldn't have been very smart, then." Tom told her with a smile.

She smiled sadly.

"No, he's the most brilliant man I've ever met." She told him. "He chose the right one."

Tom didn't say anything; he just got into the truck.

"Come on." Martha finally said as she got in. "I've got to find this Docherty woman."

"We'll have to wait until the next work shift." Tom told her. "What time is it now?"

"Nearly 3:00." Martha answered.

* * *

Lily glanced at the clock, which read 14:58. She glanced at the Doctor, who in turn glanced at Francine and Tish. They all looked away as the Master and Lucy walked in.

"Time for my massage." The Master announced. "Who shall I have today? Tanya. Come on, sweetheart. Lucy, have you met Tanya? She gorgeous."

He took off his jacket and threw it on the table.

"Tanya, when we get to the stars, I'm gonna take you Katria Nova." He continued. "Whirlpools of gold."

He sat down next to Lily at the table.

"You two should get to know each other." He called to Lucy. "That might be fun."

Tanya began to give him a massage and the Master turned to look at Lily.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her. "First trip is all yours."

"I want to go back to the way things were." Lily said. "Before you destroyed everything."

He sighed and glanced down at the untouched plate of food in front of her.

"Are we back to this?" he asked. "You tried this two months ago. All that's going to happen is you're going to make yourself sick again."

He reached out to touch her cheek, but she pulled back. He closed his hand, looking angry.

"What is it going to take to make you happy?" he demanded.

She opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped by a voice over the PA.

"Condition red!" a tech called.

"What the hell?" the Master yelled as he ran up the stairs to the bridge.

"Repeat: condition red." The voice continued.

Francine grabbed the Master's jacket and threw it to Tish, while Lily grabbed a knife off the table and began trying to pry the device off her neck.

Tish caught the jacket and handed it to the Doctor, who reached in and pulled out the Master's laser screwdriver, aiming it at the Master.

"Oh, I see." The Master said as he put his hands up.

"I told you." The Doctor said. "I have one thing to say."

He pressed the button and nothing happened.

The Master laughed.

"Isomorphic controls." He told the Doctor, leaning down to him. He took the screwdriver back before backhanding the Doctor and sending him flying to the floor.

Lily abandoned the device around her neck to run to the Doctor's side.

"Which means they only work for me." The Master continued. "Like this."

He shot the wall behind Francine.

"Say sorry!" he demanded.

"Sorry." Francine shouted. "Sorry. Sorry!"

"Mum!" Tish said, running to her.

"Didn't you learn anything from the blessed Saint Martha?" the Master asked.

Lucy ran over and picked up his jacket, helping him put it back on.

"Siding with the Doctor is a very dangerous thing to do." He continued. "Take them away."

"Move!" a guard said, forcing Francine and TIsh out. "Come on."

The Master came over the Lily and the Doctor and lifted The Doctor up.

"Okay." He said. "Gotcha."

He put him in a chair, and Lily knelt at the Doctor's side.

"There you go, Gramps." He said, sitting on the edge of the table. "Oh, do you know, I remember the days when the Doctor, oh, that famous Doctor, was waging a time war. Battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade single-handed. Ooh. And look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers. How did he ever come to this?"

He laughed.

"Oh, yeah." He said. "Me!"

"I just need you to listen." The Doctor said softly.

"No, it's my turn." The Master yelled at him. "Revenge! Best served hot."

"Master…" Lily said softly.

He lashed out and sent her flying across the floor.

"And you!" he yelled.

She sat up slowly and he paused, seeming to try to get control of himself. He walked over and gently pulled her up and sat her down at the table.

"Why can't you just be happy?" he asked her softly, kneeling in front of her.

"Because I can't." she said, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"I've tried." He told her. "I really have. I let you save those brats from Japan. I made the living conditions for the slaves better because it bothered you. Why can't you just try? I don't think I'm asking for much. Just that you try to be happy."

She shook her head, but didn't say anything.

The Master sighed.

"I guess there's only one other thing to do." He said. "I didn't want to do this, but you just won't cooperate."

He smiled softly.

"This will also be a good message for Miss Jones."

* * *

Martha and Tom made their way through a hole in a fence and ran across an open field before ducking into a building. Inside they found an older woman, beating on old monitor.

"Professor Docherty?" Tom called.

"Busy." She replied.

"They, uh, they sent word ahead." He told her. "I'm Tom Milligan. This is Martha Jones."

"She can be the Queen of Sheba for all I care." Docherty replied. "I'm still busy."

"Televisions don't work anymore." Martha pointed out.

"Oh, God, I miss Countdown." Docherty moaned. "Hasn't been the same since Des took over. Both Deses." She paused. "What's the plural of Des? Desii? Deseen?" She shook her head. "But we've been told there's gonna be a transmission." She banged the monitor again. "From the man himself."

Static appeared on the screen.

"There!" she exclaimed as a grainy black and white shot of the Master appeared on the screen.

"My people." He said into the camera. "Salutation on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of whisperes down there. Stories of a child, walking the Earth, giving you hope."

He paused and walked to stand beside the Doctor. Behind them Martha could see Lily being held by two large guards.

"But I ask you…" the Master continued, "how much hope has this man got? Say hello, Gandalf. Except he's not that old but he's an alien with a much greater lifespan then you stunted, little apes. What if it showed? What if I suspended your capacity to regenerate?"

Martha heard Lily start to shout in the background.

"All 900 years of your life, Doctor." The Master continued, ignoring her. What if we could see them?"

He pointed the laser screwdriver at the Doctor and the Doctor started to thrash in the wheelchair.

"Older and older and older." The Master yelled over the sound of the Doctor and Lily's screams. "Down you go, Doctor. Down, down, down, down you go."

He stopped the laser as the Doctor disappeared and his clothes fell to the ground.

There was silence except for the sound of Lily's sobs.

"Doctor." The Master called, leaning down.

The clothes began to move and a large domed head, with large, blinking eyes, connected to a small body, appeared.

The Master walked back to the camera.

"Received and understood, Miss Jones?" he asked before ending the transmission.

"I'm sorry." Tom said softly.

A small smile grew on Martha's face.

"The Doctor's still alive." She said.

A/N: First chapter of Last of the Time Lords. OH MY GOD SEASON 3 IS ALMOST DONE! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? Let me know what you think, and keep the ideas about the Master and Lily coming.

Abbey


	75. Last of the Time Lords: Last Night

Disclaimer: My magnificent team of lawyers has gotten me squat, so on to plan B. Sic 'em Lily!

Ch. 75:

"Obviously the Archangel Network would seem to be the Master's greatest weakness." Docherty told them. "15 satellites all around Earth, still transmitting. That's why there's so little resistance. It's broadcasting a telepathic signal that keeps people scared."

"We could just take them out." Tom suggested.

"We could." Docherty agreed. "15 ground-to-air missiles. You got any on you? Besides, any military action, the Toclafane descend."

"They're not called Toclafane." Martha interjected. "That's a name the Master made up."

"Then what are they, then?" Docherty demanded.

"That's why I came to find you." Martha told her. "Know your enemy. I've got this."

She pulled out a CD.

"No one's been able to look at a sphere close up." Martha continued. "They can't even be damaged. Except once. A lightening strike in South Africa brought one of them down. Just by chance. I've got the reading on this."

Docherty took the disc from her and put it in the drive. She banged it a couple of times and it started to work.

"Oh, whoever thought we'd miss Bill Gates." She muttered.

"So is that why you travelled the world?" Tom asked. "To find a disc."

"No." Martha answered. "Just got lucky."

"I heard stories that you walked the Earth to find a way to build a weapon." Docherty said.

The computer beeped.

"There!" she exclaimed. "A current of 58.5 kilo amperes transferred a charge of 510 mega joules precisely."

"Can you recreate that?" Tom asked.

"I think so." Docherty answered. "Easily, yes."

"All right then, Dr. Milligan." Martha said. "We're gonna get us a sphere."

* * *

Tom stood outside the plant, a gun in his hand. He hesitantly raised it and fired it three times before turning and running, a sphere following him.

Martha stood at the end of a corridor, waiting for him.

"He's coming!" she shouted to Docherty. "You ready?"

"You do your job, I'll do mine!" Docherty yelled back.

"Now!" Tom yelled as he ran passed them.

Docherty turned on the power and the sphere was caught in an electrical field. It dropped and the three approached it with caution. Tom trained his gun on it.

"That's only have the job." Docherty said. "Let's find out what's inside."

* * *

The Jones sat on beds, all of them handcuffed to the posts.

"I'm gonna kill him." Francine said. "If I have to wait 100 years, I'm going to kill the Master. One day he'll let his guard down. One day. And I'll be there."

"No, that's my job." Clive said. "I'll swear to you. I'd shoot that man stone dead."

He leaned over and kissed Francine.

"I'll get him." Tish said. "Even if it kills me."

"Don't say that." Francine told her.

"I mean it." Tish replied. "That man make us stand on deck and watch Japan burning. Millions of people. I swear to you he's dead."

* * *

"Tomorrow, they launch." The Master told the Doctor in his cage as he walked in, his arm around Lucy. "We're opening up a rift in the Braccatolian space. They won't see us coming. Kinda scary."

"Then stop." The Doctor said.

"Once the empire is established and there's a new Gallifrey in the heavens, maybe then…it stops." He told him.

He walked up to the Doctor and looked at him through the bars.

"The drumming. The never ending drumbeat." He said. "Ever since I was a child. I looked into the vortex. That's when it chose me. The drumming, the call to war. Can't you hear it? Listen, it's there now. Right now. Tell me you can hear it, Doctor. Tell me."

"It's only you." The Doctor replied.

"Good." The Master replied.

The door opened and a sphere entered.

"Tomorrow, the war." It said. "Tomorrow we rise. Never to fall."

"You see?" the Master demanded. "I'm doing it for them! You should be grateful! After all, you love them so very, very much."

The Doctor was silent.

"Where is Lily?" the Master asked.

"You know where she is." The Doctor replied.

The Master's face grew dark and he stalked up to a monitor. He punched in a few buttons and Lily appeared on the screen.

* * *

Lily sat with her back against the wall next to Jack.

"I couldn't protect him." She was saying.

"He doesn't blame you, Lils." Jack told her.

She snorted.

"Says the guy who hasn't sat down in a year." Lily said sarcastically. "I can convince him to save everyone under the age of 20 from an entire country, but I can't convince him to give you a chair."

She pulled her knees up to her chest.

"I don't understand him." She said. "He locks you away, tortures the Doctor, hunts Martha across the world, but lets me have basically free reign over this ship as long as I'm guarded. How am I different?"

"I don't know." Jack answered.

She was silent for a while.

"It's all my fault, Jack." She whispered.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"If I hadn't been so worried about finding out about my past, I could have just killed him." She said softly. "But I let the chance get away, and now I'm powerless."

"Lily, this isn't your fault." Jack told her. "None of it is. It's the Master's. You do not get to shoulder his burden. And if you don't believe me, the Doctor will tell you the same thing."

"What would I do if you weren't here to take care of me?" she asked him.

"Who knows." He answered. "But you're my little sister and it's my job."

"I love you, big brother." She said with a slight smile.

* * *

The Master slammed his hand down, cutting off the feed, and stalked away. He glared at Lucy and she quickly left.

"She doesn't understand what you want from her." The Doctor said softly. "She doesn't know who she is to you."

"Oh, and I suppose you do?" the Master said sarcastically.

"I've seen her DNA, Master." The Doctor said. "I know what House she's from. I also know there are only a few things that would have made you fight for the Time Lords."

The Master didn't answer.

"What happened to her?" The Doctor asked. "The her in this reality."

"I was too slow." The Master answered softly. "I couldn't convince them to take her away before the decision was made to time lock the whole thing. She probably died with the rest of them."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said slowly.

"No, you don't get to be sorry." The Master spat him. "If she was on Gallifrey when it burned, it means you killed her. But I won't let you hurt her again."

* * *

Docherty stood working on the sphere.

"There's some sort of magnetic clamp." She told the other two. "Hold on, I'll just trip the-"

The sphere opened and Docherty gasped.

"Oh my God!" she breathed.

Martha and Tom looked over her shoulder to see an old, vaguely human face attached to lots of machinery inside the sphere.

Suddenly, lights came on and the eyes opened, causing the three of them to jump back.

"It's alive." Docherty marveled.

"Martha." The sphere said. "Martha Jones."

"It knows you." Tom said.

"Sweet, kind Martha Jones." The sphere continued. "You helped us to fly."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked it.

"You led us to salvation." It told her.

"Who are you?" Martha demanded.

"The skies are made of diamonds." It said.

"No." Martha gasped, backing away. "You can't be him."

"We share each other's memories." The sphere told her. "You sent him to Utopia."

"Oh my God!" Martha said.

"What's it talking about?" Tom asked. "What's it mean?"

"What are they?" Docherty asked.

"Martha." Tom said. "Martha, tell us. What are they?"

"They're us." Martha replied. "They're humans. The human race from the future."

* * *

The Master sat down at the table.

"I took Lucy to Utopia." He told the Doctor. "A Time Lord and his human companion. I took her to see the stars. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

"Trillions of years into the future." Lucy told him. "To the end of the universe."

"Tell him what you say." The Master ordered.

"Dying." Lucy replied. "Everything dying. The whole of creation was falling apart. And I though…there's no point. No point to anything. Not ever."

"And it's all your fault." The Master told the Doctor.

* * *

"I'd sort of worked it out, with the paradox machine." Martha told the others. "Because the Doctor said, on the day before the Master came to power, he said he'd fused the coordinates. The Master had the TARDIS, this time machine, but the only other place he could go was the end of the universe. So he found Utopia."

* * *

"You should have seen it, Doctor." The Master told him. "Furnaces, burning. The last of humanity screaming at the dark."

He didn't notice Lily come in.

* * *

"The Utopia Project was the last hope." Martha continued. "Trying to find a way to escape the end of everything."

"There was no solution, no diamonds." The sphere said. "Just the dark and the cold."

* * *

"All that, human invention that had sustained them across the eons." The Master said. "It all turned inwards. They cannibalized themselves."

"We made ourselves so pretty." The sphere said.

"Regressing into children." The Master continued. "But it didn't work. The universe was collapsing around them."

"And you turned them into murders." Lily said from the door.

The Master turned and looked at her.

"I saved them." He told her.

"No, you used them." She shot back, disgust in her eyes.

Before he could say another word, she turned and ran from the room.

* * *

"Then the Master came with his wonderful time machine to bring us back home." The sphere told the three of them.

"But that's a paradox." Docherty pointed out. "If you're the future of the human race, and you've come back to murder your ancestors, you should cancel yourselves out. You shouldn'd exist."

"And that's the paradox machine." Martha replied.

* * *

"My masterpiece, Doctor." The Master said, turning back from the door. "A living TARDIS, strong enough to hold the paradox in place, allowing the past and the future to collide in infinite majesty."

"But you're changing history." The Doctor said. "Not just Earth, the entire universe."

"I'm a Time Lord." The Master shot back. "I have that right."

"But even then, why come all this way just to destroy?" the Doctor asked.

"We've come backwards in time to build a brand new empire lasting 100 trillion years." The sphere told him.

"With me as their master." The Master told him. "Time Lords and humans combined. Haven't you always dreamt of that, Doctor?"

* * *

"What about us?" Tom demanded. "Why kill us?"

"Because it's fun!" the sphere cackled.

Tom raised his gun and shot it.

* * *

The Master walked to the Doctor.

"The Human race." He said. "Greatest monster of them all. Night-night."

He walked to Lucy and wrapped his arm around her, leading her out, leaving the Doctor alone.

* * *

Martha, Tom, and Docherty were now sitting in her living quarters.

"I think it's time we had the truth, Miss Jones." Docherty told her. "The legend says you've travelled the world to find a way of killing the Master. Tell us, is it true?"

"Just before I escaped, the Doctor told me something." Martha told her. "The Doctor and the Master, and more recently, Lily, they've all been coming to Earth for years. And they've been watched."

She reached into her bag and removed a box.

"There's UNIT and Torchwood, all studying Time Lords in secret." she continued. "And they made this. The ultimate defense."

She opened the case to reveal a strange gun

"All you need to do is get close." Tom told her. "I can shoot the Master dead with this." He held up his gun.

"Actually, you can put that down now, thank you very much." Docherty told him.

"If that were true, I can tell you Lily would have done it ages ago." Martha told him.

"Why?" he asked. "They say that Lily Carter is the only thing he truly cares for, though no one knows why."

"Not even Lily knows why he cares about her." Martha told him. "But believe me when I tell you that Lily loves humanity so much that, no matter how she felt, she would have taken the shot if she thought it might end humanity's suffering."

"Why can't she just shoot him?" Tom demanded.

"Because it's not so easy to kill a Time Lord." Martha told him. "They can regenerate; literally bring themselves back to life."

"Ah, the Master's immortal." Docherty said. "Wonderful."

"Except for this." Martha said, picking up the gun. "Four chemicals, slotted into the gun, inject him…kills a Time Lord permanently."

"Four chemicals?" Tom asked. "You've only got three."

"Still need the last one 'cause the components of this gun were kept safe, scattered across the world." Martha told him. "And I found them. San Diego, Beijing, Budapest, and London."

"Then where is it?" he asked.

"There's an old UNIT base, north London." Martha told him. "I've found the access codes. Tom, you've got to get me there."

* * *

Martha and Tom quickly got ready to leave.

"We can't go across London in the dark." He told her. "It's full of wild dogs; we'd get eaten alive. We can wait till the morning, then go with the medical convoy."

"You can spend the night here, if you like." Docherty told them.

"No, we can get halfway, stay at the slave quarters in Bexley." Tom told her. "Professor, thank you."

He shook her hand.

"Good luck." She told him.

"Thanks." Martha replied, kissing her cheek before walking away.

"Martha," Docherty called, "could you do it? Could you actually kill him?"

"Got no choice." Martha replied.

"You might be many things," Docherty told her, "but you don't look like a killer to me."

Martha just turned and walked away.

* * *

Martha and Tom creeped down a dark street to one of the houses.

"Let me in." Tom called softly as he knocked. "It's Milligan."

The door opened and they rushed in.

The inside was crowded, but not horribly so.

"I thought it'd be worse than this." Martha said, looking around.

"It used to be." Tom answered. "But then Lily Carter convinced the Master that keeping the slaves healthy was in his best interest."

"That sounds like Lily." Martha said with a smile.

"There are quite a few who regard your friend as some kind of guardian angel, the only one who can temper the Master's wrath." Tom told her. "Some even hold her up there with you in esteem."

"Would you like some food?" a woman asked. "We don't have much, but what we have, we'll share."

"No, that's fine." Martha told her. "Keep what you have for your people."

"Are you Martha Jones?" a young boy asked her.

"Yeah, that's me." Martha answered.

"Can you do it?" the boy asked. "Can you kill him? They said you can kill the Master, can you? Tell us you can do it. Please tell us you can do it."

"Who is the Master?" a woman asked.

Everyone started talking at once, and Tom held up his hand.

"Come on, just leave her alone." He told them. "She's exhausted."

"No, it's all right." Martha said. "They want me to talk and I will."

* * *

"Access Priority One." Docherty said as she revealed a hidden screen. "This is Professor Alison Docherty."

"State your intent." Came a voice.

"First of all, I need to know about my son." She told them.

"State your intent." The voice repeated.

"Is my son still alive?" she demanded.

"State your intent."

She sighed and gave up.

"I have some information for the Master." She told them. "Concerning Martha Jones."

* * *

Lily stood next to the Doctor's cage.

"I'm so sorry." She said, crying.

The Doctor reached his small hand through the bars and gently wiped a tear away.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He told her softly.

She gently leaned into his touch.

"I love you." She said softly.

He was silent for a moment.

"I love you, too." He said.

The door opened and Lily quickly pulled away as the Master walked in. He was in a robe and his hair was mussed.

"Guess what?" he said with a smile. "Lily and I are going to visit an old friend."

A/N: Last of the Time Lords, chapter 2, done! Oh my god. The end is coming! Oh god. So take these last few chances to review!

Abbey


	76. Last of the Time Lords: Last Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own…I can't say it. I just can't. Please don't make me.

Ch. 76:

Martha sat on the stairs of the house surrounded by it's inhabitants.

"I travelled across the world." She told them. "From the ruins of New York, to the fusion mills of China, right across the radiation pits of Europe. And everywhere I went, I saw people just like you, living as slaves. But if Martha Jones became a legend, then that's wrong, because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The man who sent me out there. The man who told me to walk the Earth. His name is the Doctor."

She took a deep breath and continued.

"He has saved your lives so many times, and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked." She smiled softly. "But I've seen him. I know him. I love him. And I know what he can do."

"It's him!" a woman called, pushing her way to Martha. "It's him! Oh my God, it's him! It's the Master! He's here."

Martha quickly stood up.

"But he never comes to Earth!" a boy protested. "He never walks upon the ground!"

"Hide her!" someone said quickly.

"Use this!" Tom said, taking off his jacket and throwing it on top of her.

Tom quickly ran to the door and looked out the mail slot.

The Master walked down the street, flanked by guards, with Lily, her hands bound, following behind him. A chain ran from her hand cuffs and he held it tightly.

"He walks among us," the boy said. "Our lord and master."

"Martha!" the Master called. "Martha Jones!" He raised his voice. "I can see you!" He lowered it again. "Out you come, little girl. Come and meet your master. Anybody? Nobody? No? Nothing?"

He jerked the chain and Lily fell to her knees.

"Come out, Martha, or Lily dies." He called. "She's recently become more trouble than she's worth, especially because she refuses to return to her Time Lord self. Ask yourself, dear Martha, could the Doctor you love so much survive without his Lily? Could you really do that to him just to save yourself?"

"Don't do it!" Lily yelled. "Stay inside, Martha! Do not come out! Do you hear me, Martha, do no-"

The Master hit her and she fell to the ground. She pushed herself back up, spitting out blood, and glared at him.

"That is quite enough." He told her.

He turned back to the houses.

"Now, Martha, what will it be?" he called. "What would the Doctor do?"

Martha removed her TARDIS key and shrugged off her cover. Everyone watched as she stood up and walked to Tom. She gently pushed his gun down and gave him a small smile. She opened the door and slowly walked out.

"Oh, yes!" the Master said, clapping. "Oh, very well done! Good girl! He trained you well."

Martha walked into the street. She looked at Lily, who was lying in the street.

"Bag." The Master told her. "Give me the bag."

She started to walk forward, but he stopped her.

"No, stay there." He told her. "Just throw it."

Martha took it off and threw it on the ground.

The Master raised his screwdriver and blew the bag up.

"And now, good companion," he said, training the screwdriver on her, "your work is done."

"No!" Lily screamed lunging at him, only to be held back by guards.

But she wasn't the only one.

Tom ran out onto the street, his gun aimed at the Master.

The Master changed direction, shooting Tom, who fell to the ground and didn't get up.

Lily sagged in the guard's arms and Martha glared at the Master.

"Let her go." The Master ordered, turning to Lily.

Lily watched in shock as the guard unlocked her cuffs. She hesitated for a moment before running to Martha and grabbing her in a tight hug, which the other woman returned with equal force.

"Did you do it?" Lily whispered.

Martha gave a tiny nodded and Lily breathed easier than she had in a year.

"Did you really think I would hurt Lily?" the Master called when they finally pulled apart. "I thought the Doctor's companions were supposed to be smart."

Both women just glared at him.

"But Lily was right." The Master said. "I shouldn't kill you here. No, the Doctor should be witness, shouldn't he?"

He inhaled deeply.

"Almost dawn, Martha." He said. "And Planet Earth marches to war."

The women watched as he turned and walked off until a guard prodded them forward.

* * *

Lily and Martha were led into the conference room, but Lily was quickly pulled aside and led to stand at the bottom of the stairs, right beneath the Master and next to Lucy, while Martha was led to stand right in front of them.

"Your teleport device." The Master told her. "I case you thought I'd forgotten."

Martha grudgingly reached down and removed the device from her pocket, throwing it to him.

"And now…kneel." He ordered.

Martha glanced at the Doctor before doing as she was told.

"Down below, the fleet is ready to launch." The Master told her. "Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe."

He walked over to a comm.

"Are we ready?" he asked.

"The fleet awaits your signal." A voice replied. "Rejoice!"

"Three minutes to align the black hole converters." The Master said. "Counting down! I never could resist a ticking clock. My children, are you ready?"

"We will fly and blaze and slice!" the spheres replied. "We will fly and blaze and slice!"

"At zero, to mark this day, the child, Martha Jones, will die." The Master proclaimed. "Ha, my first blood. Any last words? No?"

He looked at the Doctor.

"Such a disappointment, this one." The Master told him. "Compared to your two Time Vortex wielding companions, this one's just useless."

He turned back to Martha.

"Bow you head." He ordered, and she complied. "And so it falls to me, the Master of all, to establish from this day, a new order of Time Lords! From this day forward-"

He was interrupted as a chuckle burst forth from Martha.

"What?" he asked. "What's so funny?"

"A gun?" she asked.

"What about it?" he demanded.

"A gun in four parts?" she said.

"Yes, and I destroyed it." He replied.

"A gun in four parts," she repeated, "scattered across the world? I mean, come on. Did you really believe that?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"As if I would ask her to kill." Came the Doctor's voice.

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter." The Master said. "I've got her exactly where I want her."

"But I knew what Professor Docherty would do." Martha told him. "The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun so she'd get me here, at the right time."

"Oh, but you're still going to die!" he yelled.

"Don't you wanna know what I was doing?" Martha asked. "Travelling the world?"

"Tell me." The Master said in a bored voice.

"I told a story, that's all." Martha told him. "No weapons, just words. I did just what the Doctor said. I went across the continents all on my own. And everywhere I went, I found people, and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor."

Lily smiled at her.

"And I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor." Martha concluded.

"Faith and hope?" the Master said, incredulous. "Is that all?"

"No." Martha replied. "'Cause I gave them an instruction. Just as the Doctor said."

She stood up and faced the Master head on.

"I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time-" she said.

"Nothing will happen!" the Master interrupted. "Is that your weapon? Prayer?

"Right across the world." Martha continued. "One word, just one thought, at one moment…but with 15 satellites!"

"What?" the Master asked.

"The Archangel Network." Lily told him with a smile.

"A telepathic field binding the whole human race together," Martha said, "with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word…is Doctor."

The countdown hit zero and a glow surrounded the Doctor.

"Stop it." The Master ordered. "No, no, no, no, you don't!"

Jack closed his eyes.

"Doctor." He whispered.

Francine did the same.

"Do-" the Master began.

On the screens were images of crowds, all whispering one word.

"Doctor."

"Stop this right now!" the Master shouted. "Stop it!"

Lucy closed her eyes.

"Doctor." She whispered, adding her voice to the others.

Lily's eyes locked on the Doctor's and she smiled brightly.

"Doctor." She called, her voice strong.

"Doctor." Martha said.

The Doctor rose in the air, his cage disappearing, and the years began to reverse.

"I've had a whole year to tune myself to the psychic network and integrate with its matrices." The Doctor told the Master.

"I order you to stop!" the Master yelled.

"The one thing you can't do." The Doctor said, looking like his old young self. "Stop them thinking."

Lily laughed and ran to Jack.

"Tell me the human race is degenerate now," the Doctor said, rising into the air, "when they can do this."

Martha ran to her family.

"No!" the Master shouted.

He fired a laser as the Doctor, but the Doctor deflected it.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor told him. "I'm so sorry."

"Then I'll kill them!" the Master shot back.

He aimed the laser screwdriver at them, but the Doctor threw it across the room and into Lily's outstretched hand. She was shocked when she felt it respond to her touch.

"You can't do this!" the Master shouted, panicking now. "You can't do-It's not fair!"

"And you know what happens now." The Doctor told him.

"No!" the Master shouted as the Doctor floated towards him. He quickly backed away, stumbling down the stairs. "No! No! No!"

He backed up to the wall, but the Doctor kept coming.

"Because you know what I'm going to say." The Doctor told him.

"No!" the Master shouted, curling in on himself.

The Doctor landed in front of him and walked over. He kneeled next to the trembling Time Lord and wrapped his arms around him.

"I forgive you." The Doctor whispered.

"My children!" the Master shouted.

"Jack!" Lily said, running to the bridge. "Get rid of that damn paradox machine!"

"You men!" Jack shouted, running for the door. "With me!"

"Jack, I need my watch!" Lily yelled after him.

The Master pulled out the manipulator and activated it.

"No!" the Doctor shouted, grabbing it, and they disappeared.

"Doctor!" Lily yelled.

* * *

The Master and the Doctor materialized on a rocky cliff.

"Now it ends, Doctor!" the Master yelled, his arms held out to his sides. "Now it ends!"

Alarms at a nearby shipyard began to sound as thunder rolled.

* * *

Jack and the men raced through the Valiant towards the TARDIS.

* * *

"Shit!" Lily yelled.

"What?" Martha asked, running up next to her.

"6 billion spheres and they're all coming here." Lily told her.

Lily looked down at the screwdriver in her hand. While Martha was focused on the spheres, she began to back away.

* * *

"We've got control of the Valiant." The Doctor told the Master. "You can't launch."

"Oh, but I've got this." The Master said, holding up a small device. "Black hole converter inside every ship. If I can't have this world, Doctor, then neither can you. We shall stand upon this Earth, together, as it burns!"

* * *

Jack and company arrived at the TARDIS to find three spheres guarding it. The group fired at them, but couldn't hurt them.

"Can't get in." one guard shouted. "We'd get slaughtered!"

"Yeah." Jack agreed. "Happens to me a lot."

He ran forward, firing as he went.

* * *

Martha and Tish watched the spheres approach, not noticing Lily in the background.

She took a deep breath before pulling the device around her neck as far away as she could and pointing the screwdriver at it.

* * *

"Weapon after weapon after weapon." The Doctor called. "All you do is talk and talk and talk. But over all these years…and all these disasters, I've always had the greatest secret of them all. I know you. Explode those ships, you kill yourself. That's one thing you can never do."

He held out his hand.

"Give that to me." He said.

The Master hesitated for a moment before slapping it into the Doctor's hand.

* * *

Jack finally made it into the TARDIS, but he didn't stop firing. He walked straight up to the paradox machine, destroying it in a hail of gunfire.

* * *

Martha and Tish whipped around when they heard the sound of the laser firing.

Lily fell to the ground, convulsing.

* * *

The Doctor and the Master fell to the ground as the Earth shook. They both fought for control of the manipulator, but the Doctor slammed his hand down on it, sending them both back to the Valiant.

* * *

They reached the ship and the sphere disappeared and they were all thrown around. Martha was thrown back, only to be caught by the Doctor.

"Everyone down!" he yelled. "Time is reversing."

They all held on as time reversed itself. Finally, it stopped.

The Doctor stood and checked the controls.

"The paradox is broken." He told them. "We've reverted back, one year and one day. Two minutes past 8:00 in the morning."

He reached over and turned on the comms.

"This is UNIT Central." A man called. "What's happened up there? We just saw the President assassinated!"

"You see?" the Doctor said, switching them back off. "Just after the President was killed, but just before the spheres arrived. Everything back to normal. Planet Earth restored. None of it happened. The rockets, the terror. It never was."

"What about the spheres?" Martha asked.

"Trapped at the end of the universe." He replied.

He looked around.

"But I remember it." Francine said.

"We're at the eye of the storm." The Doctor said, sounding distracted. "The only ones who'll ever know."

He turned to Martha.

"Where's Lily?" he asked.

She suddenly looked stricken and took off.

He followed her as she ran down the stairs and around the table. There was Lily, lying very still on the floor. Next to her were the laser screwdriver and the remains of the suppression device.

He ran to her side and checked her vitals. She was breathing and her heart was racing.

"What did this thing do to her?" he yelled at the Master as he ran over.

"I don't know." The Master replied. "It was meant to be weaned off. I'd always meant to release her, but it was meant to be done gradually."

"Lily." The Doctor called gently, cupping her cheek. "Can you hear me?"

Her eyes flew open and focused on him.

"Get back." She whispered.

He only had a second to comply before her back arched and she screamed.

A gold light burst out of her and everyone had to shield their eyes. All the while she screamed.

Finally, the light began to pull back. They watched as it seem to pool in her eyes and when they opened, the Doctor saw that they were burning with an intense gold light. After a moment, that too faded and her body relaxed.

The Doctor went back to her side.

"Lily." He called softly.

She opened her eyes and winced.

"Ow." She said.

He gathered her up in a tight hug, which she returned. He slowly helped her to her feet.

The Master chose this moment to make a break for it.

He was stopped, though, at the door by Jack.

"Whoa, big fella!" Jack said. "You don't want to miss the party."

He turned to a guard.

"Cuffs." He said, securing the Master's hands in front of him.

"So what do we do with this one?" he asked as he tossed Lily her watch, which she caught with a sigh of relief.

"We kill him." Clive answered.

"We execute him." Tish answered at the same time.

"No." the Doctor said. "That's not the solution."

Francine picked up a gun off the floor and aimed it at the Master.

"Oh, I think so." She said. "'Cause all those…things, they still happened because of him. I saw them."

A gold wall sprung up between Francine and the three Time Lords.

"I want him alive." Lily told her. "And I have the power to back it up again, so don't test me."

"Francine, you're better than him." The Doctor said, walking through the shield and up to her.

He gently reached out and took the gun from her before hugging her.

Martha walked over and he passer her to her daughter.

"You still haven't answered the question." The Master said. "What happens to me?"

Lily let the wall drop and the Doctor rejoined them.

"You're our responsibility from now on." He told the Master. "The only Time Lords left in existence."

"Yeah, but you can't trust him." Jack said.

"No." Lily replied. "The only safe place for him is the TARDIS."

"You mean you're just gonna…keep me?" the Master asked, sounding horrified.

"Hmm." The Doctor agreed. "If that's what we have to do."

He looked at Lily, who smiled.

"It's time to change." He said. "Maybe I've been wandering for too long. Now I'll have someone to care for."

They were brought short by the sound of a gunshot and the Master stumbled back.

Lily spun around and the gun flew out of Lucy's hands.

The Doctor caught the Master and lowered him to the ground as Lily knelt on his other side.

"There you go." The Doctor said. "I've got you. I've got you."

"Always the women." The Master said weakly.

"I didn't see her." Lily said, tears beginning to fall.

"It wasn't your fault." The Master told her. She got the idea he wasn't just talking about the bullet.

He turned back to the Doctor.

"Dying in your arms." He said. "Happy now?"

"You're not dying, don't be stupid." The Doctor replied. "It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."

"No." the Master answered.

"You have to." Lily told him. "I have to know and you have to tell me."

The Master reached forward and grasped the hand holding her watch between his.

"_Alyssy, there's someone here to see you." The head priestess called._

_Lily turned to see a man with a beard standing in the doorway._

"_Koschei!" she called, throwing herself into his open arms._

_She had heard whispers of the things her brother had done, but none of that mattered to her. All she cared was that he was here. That, when it mattered, he had come back to fight for his home and his people. For her._

_He was her protector._

"_Lys." He said warmly, hugging her tightly._

"_I thought our parents wouldn't let you see me anymore." She said as she pulled away._

"_I snuck in." he told her with a laugh._

"_How is…it going?" she asked hesitantly._

_She saw a darkness cross his eyes, but it passed. It always passed when she was with him._

"_Not good." He told her. "That's why I'm here. I'm trying to convince them to get you out, before it's too late."_

"_You think we might lose?" she asked him._

_He gently cupped her face and kissed her forehead._

"_I don't know." He answered. "But either way, I want you safe, my beautiful baby sister."_

She gasped as he let go.

"You are even more beautiful now." He said, lifting his hands to her face.

For the first time, she didn't flinch away.

"Koschei." She cried. "Please. Please just regenerate."

"No." he replied.

He turned his attention back to the Doctor.

"I guess you don't know me so well." He told him. "I refuse."

"Regenerate." The Doctor ordered, his voice breaking. "Just regenerate. Please! Please! Just regenerate! Come on!"

"And spend the rest of my life imprisoned with you?" The Master scoffed.

"You can help me look after Lily." The Doctor bargained. "You've got regenerated. Come on. It can't end like this. You and me, all the things we've done. Axons? Remember the Axons? And the Daleks? We're the only three left, there's no one else. Regenerate!"

"Promise me you'll protect her." The Master said urgently. "Promise me!"

"I promise." The Doctor said through tears.

He turned back to Lily, and she took his hands in hers.

"I love you." He said softly.

"Please." She begged.

"How about that?" he said, looking at the Doctor. "I win."

His eyes began to lose their focus.

"Will it stop, Doctor?" he asked. "The drumming. Will it stop?"

His hand fell out of Lily's.

The Doctor pulled the Master close as Lily stared, uncomprehending. A second later, her whole body convulsed as she began to sob and the Doctor let out a cry of despair.

The other stood silently, looking on at the grief of the Time Lords.

A/N: One more chapter of Last of the Time Lords to go. Then the story's over. Oh. My. God. Anyway, people who guessed right, in order of first to last (only those who actually guessed brother):

narnia365  
JustAPoisonApple  
FelizNavidad  
SerenityMoonlight  
Noyesgirl  
WickedSweet123

Congrats guys!

Abbey


	77. Last of the Time Lords: Last Goodbyes

Disclaimer: *sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob sob hic sob sob*

Ch. 77:

The Doctor held a torch in his hand as he walked up to the funeral pyre. Lily stood in the behind him, tears streaming down her face and the Master's signet ring held tightly in her hand.

The Doctor lowered the torch and the pyre quickly caught fire. He backed up and threw the torch to the side before taking Lily's hand.

They stood there in silence as the Master's body burnt.

Finally, the Doctor led Lily away into the night.

* * *

Professor Docherty was walking through a park when a young black woman ran up to her and handed her a bouquet of flowers.

"Just to say, I don't blame you." She said before walking away.

"But who are you?" Docherty called after her, but she didn't stop.

* * *

The Doctor, Lily, Martha, and Jack all stood looking out at Cardiff bay. They all looked back to normal. Jack was clean and had his coat back, the Doctor was dressed in his pinstripe suit, and Lily had the Firepoint around her neck and her dagger tucked into her back. The only new thing was a green signet ring that now sat on Lily's right index finger.

"Time was, every single one of these people knew your name." Martha said. "Now they've all forgotten you."

"Good." The Doctor replied.

They stood in silence for a moment before Jack pushed himself away from the rail.

"Back to work." He told them.

"I really don't mind, though." The Doctor told him. "Come with us."

"I had plenty of time to think that past year." Jack replied. "The Year That Never Was. And I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility. Besides," he said, grinning at Lily, "I've got a cute Tea Boy to ask out."

"Go get him tiger." Lily told him, laughing.

"Thanks, I will." He replied, laughing with her.

"Defending the Earth." The Doctor said, ignoring them. "Can't argue with that."

He quickly grabbed Jack's arm and exposed the manipulator.

"Hey, I need that!" Jack protested.

"I can't have you walking around with a time-traveling teleport." The Doctor told him, pointing the sonic screwdriver at it. "You could go anywhere-twice. The second time to apologize."

He let go and Jack smiled sheepishly.

"Do you know," he asked hesitantly, "am I ever going to die?"

"I don't know." The Doctor answered truthfully. "You're an impossible thing, Jack."

Jack laughed.

"Been called that before." He said. He turned to leave, but turned back and saluted. "Sir. Ma'am. Nightmare."

Lily growled and threw herself at him. He caught her and swung her around.

"He may have been my bother by blood," she whispered as he set her down, "but you're my brother by choice. That's just as, if not more important. I love you Jackie."

"I love you, too, Lils." He said, hugging her tight before letting go.

"Give my love to the rest." She told him, backing up to the Doctor. "And I want to know how it goes with Ianto. I gave you my new number, I expect you to use it."

"Yes ma'am." He said with a wink.

He turned to leave again and stopped again.

"But I keep wondering…" he said, "what about aging? 'Cause I can't die, but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

"Jack, I promise you will one day die." Lily told him seriously. "It won't be for a very, very long time, but one day you'll be able to rest, and I promise I'll be right there, holding you and saying goodbye."

The Doctor gave her an odd look, but didn't say anything.

"Good." Jack said with a smile. ""Cause I'm not ready to die yet, but it's nice to know that I'm not always just going to be here. And a little bit of it is vanity." He said with a chuckle. "I can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid back on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe they called me."

He didn't notice the shocked looks on the Doctor and Martha's face, or the way Lily very studiously looked anywhere but them.

"Hmm, I'll see you around." He called before walking off towards the water tower.

"Can't be." Martha said.

"No, definitely not." The Doctor agreed. "No."

Martha began to laugh.

"No." he repeated.

He glared at Lily.

"You knew, didn't you?" he accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."Lily said as she pushed herself away from the railing and walked off.

"Lily!" he called as he stalked after her.

Martha took one last look around before following them.

* * *

The Doctor and Lily stood, leaning against the TARDIS, as they watched the Jones family reconnect through the window.

Francine looked out and the Doctor nodded before leading Lily inside.

They walked up the ramp and Lily smiled sadly.

"It's like nothing happened." She said, looking at the repaired console.

"I know." He said, sitting down on the jump seat and putting his feet up.

She smiled and sat down next to him, curling into his side.

"I love you." She told him.

He smiled down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I love you too." He told her.

* * *

Martha walked out of her house, dialing her phone as she went.

"Yeah." She said. "Could you put me through? Hi, I'm looking for a Dr. Thomas Milligan."

She waited for a moment before the phone was picked up.

"Yeah, hello." Came Tom's voice. "Hello?"

Martha closed the phone and smiled.

As she walked up to the TARDIS, the door opened and Lily walked out. She took one look at Martha and sighed.

"I guess I'm not just saying goodbye to your family, am I?" she asked.

"I need to stay here." Martha told her. "I need to stay with them. And I need…"

"To be away from us." Lily finished sadly. "I understand. Believe me I do."

She sighed and hugged her friend.

"I'm going to miss you so much." Martha told her, returning the hug. "You're my best friend, you know that right?"

""Course I do." Lily said. "I mean, who else would you pick?"

Martha laughed and pulled away, swatting Lily's shoulder.

"You'll take care of him, right?" Martha asked her friend seriousl.

"Wouldn't do anything else." Lily answered.

She looked back at the door and looked back at Martha.

"I'll let you say goodbye in private." She told her before heading into the house.

Martha took a deep breath before entering the TARDIS.

"Right then!" the Doctor said, getting up as she walked up the ramp. "Lily's just saying goodbye, and then off we go! The open road! There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or…back in time. We could…I don't know, Charles II? Henry VIII? I know! What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie! I bet she's brilliant!" He finally realized how quiet Martha was and what it meant. "Okay." He said.

"I just can't." she told him.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Spent all these years training to be a doctor." She told him. "Now I've got people to look after. They saw have the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them."

"Of course not." He told her.

He smiled.

"Thank you." He told her, giving her a hug. "Martha Jones, you saved the world."

"Yes, I did." She said. "I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best. But you know what? I am good."

She looked at him closely.

"You gonna be all right?" she asked.

"Do you think Lily will let me be anything else?" he asked her with a smile.

She laughed.

"I suppose not." She answered.

"Right then." Martha said, kissing him on the cheek.

She turned and quickly walked out. Once she was outside, she turned around and walked back in.

"'Cause the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky." She told him without preamble. "She lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them, all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him, she did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him."

"Is this going anywhere?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes!" she said.

"Oh, okay." He replied, crossing his arms and waiting for her to continue.

"'Cause he never looked at her twice." Martha told him. "I mean, he like her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him, years of her life, 'cause while he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And I told her, I always told her, time and time again, I said: Get out. So this is me, getting out. Because as much as I love you, I love Lily too, and I think it might break my heart to watch you two."

She held up a hand to forestall his protest.

"This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me." She told him. "You two deserve to be together, and I don't want to get between that. You deserve all the happiness in the universe, you both do, and you can have that together."

She smiled up at him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She tossed it to him and he caught it, surprised.

"Keep that." She told him. "'Cause I'm not having you two disappear. If that rings, _when_ that rings, you better come running. Got it?"

"Got it." He replied with a smile.

"I'll see you again, mister." Martha told him.

She walked to the door and opened it just as Lily was coming in. The two friends hugged one last time before Martha walked outside.

Lily walked up the ramp and up to the Doctor. She wrapped her arms around him and he returned the hug.

"You alright?" she asked him.

He smiled down at her.

"Yep." He said, popping the p and making her smile.

She pulled away from him and walked to the doorway.

"I'm going to make the most fattening food I can come up with." She told him. "Should I make it two?"

He laughed and nodded.

She smiled and walked out.

The Doctor started up the engines and removed the hand brake. A second later the TARDIS spun out of control. The Doctor hit a few controls and the TARDIS stopped spinning.

_What the hell?_ Came Lily's call.

_I don't know._ He told her.

"Stop it!" he said out loud to the TARDIS as he moved around the console. "What was all that about, eh? Eh? What's your problem?"

"Right, just settle down now." Another voice said.

The Doctor walked around the console and bumped into someone else.

"Excuse me." He said as the other said "So sorry".

They stepped around each other and kept working for a moment before realizing what had just happened.

"What?" Ten asked.

"What?" was Five's question.

"What?"

A/N: So I'm going to finish this story with the Time Crash and then start Savin' Me with Voyage of the Damned. Please take these last few chances to review!

Abbey


	78. Time Crash

Disclaimer: They never found the last body of someone who tried to tell me I don't own Doctor Who. Do you want to be the next?

Ch. 78:

_Doctor._

"Who are you?" Five asked.

_Doctor._

"Oh, brilliant!" Ten said excitedly. "I mean, totally wrong, big emergency, universe goes bang in five minutes but…brilliant."

_Doctor._

"I'm the Doctor, who are you?" Five demanded.

_Doctor!_

"Yes, you are!" Ten said. "You are the Doctor."

_Doctor!_

"Yes, I am." Five said, his patience running thin. "I'm the Doctor."

_Doctor!_

"Oh, good for you, Doctor." Ten said. "Good for brilliant old you."

_DOCTOR!_

Ten winced as Lily screamed in his head.

"Is there something wrong with you?" Five asked.

_What is going on?_ Lily demanded.

He opened his mind to her and showed her what he was seeing.

_OH MY GOD! _Lily yelled, making him wince again. _I so want to meet him. I'll be right there!_

_You can't._ Ten told her quickly.

_Why? _She whined. He could almost see her pout.

_Because I don't remember you, so he can't remember you._ Ten replied.

_Spoil sport. _Lily said. _If you even think about trying to shut me out, I'll come barging into the control room, understood?_

_Understood._ He replied, keeping the connection open.

Five frowned and Ten smiled.

"Oh, there it goes!" he exclaimed. "The frowny face, I remember that one!"

He reached forward and grabbed Five's face, squishing it between his hands.

"Mind you, bit saggier than it ought to be." Ten said. "Hair's a bit grayer. That's because of me, though. The two of us together has shorted out the time differential. Should all snap back in place when we get you back home." He reached forward and pulled the front of Five's coat together. "Be able to close that coat again. But never mind that! Look at you ! The hat, the coat, the crickety cricket stuff, the…stick of celery, yeah."

_You really were ahead of your time, weren't you? _Lily said, laughing quiet hard. _Seriously, celery?_

"Brave choice, celery." Ten continued, ignoring Lily's taunting. "But fair play to you-not a lot of men can carry off a decorative vegetable."

_And you weren't one of them._ Lily added.

"Shut up!" Five yelled, making both Ten and Lily, in the other room, jump. He whipped off his hat. "There is something very wrong with my TARDIS and I've got to do something about it very, very quickly. And it would help, it really would help, if there wasn't some skinny idiot ranting in my face about everything that happens to be in front of him!"

_You didn't really have a sense of humor back then, did you? _Lily said.

"Oh." Ten said aloud. "Okay. Sorry, Doctor."

"Thank you." Five said, turning back around.

"Oh!" Ten exclaimed. "The back of our head!"

"What?" Five asked, turning back around.

"Sorry." Ten apologized. "Sorry, not something you see every day, is it, the back of your own head. Mind you, I see why you wear a hat. I don't want to seem vain, but could you keep that on?"

_Does the back of my head really look like that?_ Ten asked, already going through his selection of hats in his head.

_You have a very nice head now, Doctor._ Lily told him, not even trying to contain her amusement.

"What have you done to my TARDIS?" Five demanded. "You've changed the desktop theme…what is this one then, coral?"

"Well…" Ten said.

_HEY, I LOVE THE CORAL LOOK! _Lily shouted in Ten's mind.

"It's worse than the leopard skin." Five continued.

_Calm._ Ten sent to Lily.

He could feel her seething in his mind.

Five pulled out a pair of half moon glasses and they had something new to distract them.

"Ohhh!" Ten said. "There they come! The brainy specs! You don't even need them, you just think they make you look a bit clever."

_And hot._ Lily added making Ten smile.

An alarm started going off.

"That's an alert." Five said. "Level five. Indicates a temporal collision. It's like two TARDISs have merged, but there's definitely only one TARDIS present. Looks like two time zones at war in the heart of the TARDIS. That's a paradox."

_Not another one. _ Lily moaned.

"That could blow a hole in the space time continuum the size of…" Five continued.

Ten nonchalantly pushed the monitor in front of Five.

"…well, actually, the exact size of Belgium." He said, sighing. "That's a bit undramatic, isn't it? Belgium?"

_Just a bit._ Lily said.

Ten reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver.

"Need this?" he asked, holding it out.

"No, I'm fine." Five replied.

"Oh no, of course, you mostly went hands free didn't you?" Ten said. "Like 'Hey, I'm the Doctor. I can save the universe with a kettle and some string. And look at me, I'm wearing a vegetable!'."

_Oh my god, an actual example of being annoyed with yourself! _Lily said. _This is so awesome! Can we go visit a future version of me?_

_No._

"Who are you?" Five said, looking at Ten closely.

"Take a look." Ten replied.

"Oh…" Five said, backing away. "Oh no."

"Oh yes." Ten replied.

"You're…oh no, you're…" Five stuttered.

"Here it comes." Ten said. "Yep, yep I am."

"A fan!" Five said, moving quickly away.

"Yep!" Ten said before his brain could catch up. "What?"

Lily just collapsed.

"Level ten now." Five said. "This is bad. Two minutes to Belgium."

"What do you mean 'a fan'?" Ten demanded. "I'm not just a fan, I'm you!"

"Okay, you're my biggest fan." Five said, waving him off.

_You know he's got a point._ Lily said through her laughter. _You are your biggest fan._

"Look, it's perfectly understandable." Five said. "I go zooming around space and time saving planets, fighting monsters and being, well, let's be honest, pretty sort of marvelous."

_Wow, this version of you's got a higher opinion of himself than you do._ Lily marveled. _I didn't know that was possible._

Ten looked smug until, again, his brain caught up.

"And naturally, every now and then, people notice me." Five continued. "Start up their little groups. That LINDA lot…are you one of them? How did you get in here?"

He brandished a finger at Ten.

"Can't have you lot knowing where I live." He said.

"Listen to me." Ten told him. "I'm you! I'm you with a new face."

He slapped his own face.

"Check out this bone structure, Doctor," he continued, "because one day, you're going to be shaving it."

A bell began to ring.

"The Cloister Bell." Five said.

_Um, as fun as this is, Doctor,_ Lily said, _I'd really rather not die, so if you could fix it…_

"Yep, right on time, that's my cue." Ten said, jumping into action.

"In less than a minute we're going to detonate a black hole strong enough to swallow the entire universe!" Five exclaimed.

_For the record, I'm against that. _Lily told him.

"Yeah, that's my fault." Ten told him. "I was rebuilding the TARDIS; forgot to put the shields back up. Your TARDIS and my TARDIS…well, the same TARDIS, different points in its own time stream collided and oop, there you go, end of the universe, butterfingers. But don't worry, I know exactly how this all works out." He began running around pushing buttons and pulling levers. "Venting the thermal buffer, flooring the Helmic regulator, and just to finish off, lets fry the Zeiton crystals."

Five stopped him.

"You'll blow up the TARDIS." He said.

_I'm against this plan._ Lily chimed in.

"It's the only way out." Ten replied.

"Who told you that?" Five demanded.

"You told me that!" Ten said as he pulled the lever.

Everything went white before coming back.

_I'm not dead?_ Lily said in wonder. _That has to be some kind of freaking miracle with two Doctors driving._

_Thanks for the vote of confidence. _Ten replied.

_You're welcome._

"Supernova and black hole at the exact same instant." Five said in wonder.

"Explosion cancels out implosion." Ten expanded.

"Matter stays constant." Five finished.

"Brilliant!" Ten exclaimed.

"Far too brilliant." Five told him. "I've never met anyone else who could fly the TARDIS like that."

"Sorry, mate, you still haven't." Ten replied, walking away.

"You didn't have time to work all that out." Five said, following him. "Even I couldn't do it."

"I didn't work it out." Ten said, stopping and turning to face Five. "I didn't have to."

"You remembered." Five said.

"Because you will remember." Ten agreed.

"You remember being me, watching you, doing that." Five said. "You already knew what to do because I watched you do it."

_So what you're saying is neither one of you actually knows how to fly this thing that well? _Lily said. _How is this a great revelation?_

_Shut up._

"Wibbley wobbley…" Ten said.

"Timey whimey!" Five finished with him.

_Oh god, you taught yourself that awful phrase? _Lily complained.

Ten went for a high five and Lily burst out laughing again when Five just stared at him. Then another alarm began to sound.

"What?" Ten said, checking the readings. "TARDISs are separating, sorry Doctor, time's up. Back to long ago…Where are you now? Nyssa and Tegan, Cybermen and Mara and Time Lords in funny hats and the Master? Oh he just showed up again, same as ever."

"Oh no. Really?" Five moaned. "Does he still have that rubbish beard?"

"No! No beard this time." Ten said. "Well, a wife."

Five began to fade.

"Oh, I seem to be off." He said. "What can I say? Thank you….Doctor."

"Thank you." Ten replied, smiling.

"I'm very welcome." Five replied, also smiling.

He faded away completely, but Ten flipped a switch when he spotted his hat. Five reappeared and Ten walked towards him.

"You know…" he said. "I loved being you. Back when I first started, at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important, like you do whe you're young. And then I was you. And it was all…dashing about and playing cricket and my voice going all squeaky when I shouted…I still do that! The voice thing, I got that from you. Oh!"

He put his foot up on the console to show off his converse.

"And the trainers, and…"

He reached into his pocket and put on a pair of glasses.

"Snap." He said. "'Cause you know what, Doctor? You were my Doctor?"

Five tipped his hat to Ten.

"To days to come." He told him.

"All my love to long ago." Ten replied.

Five faded away again.

Lily came up behind the Doctor and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I liked him." She said.

"Oh really?" he replied, twisting around to hold her.

She nodded.

"But guess what?" she told him.

"What?" he asked her.

"This version is better." She told him. "Because it has all the things you love about him plus all the best parts of all the others too."

He smiled and hugged her close.

"Oh, Doctor, remember to put your shields up!" Five's voice came wafting back.

The Doctor, smiled and reached over and pressed a button. There was a sound like a ship's horn and he and Lily were thrown to the floor as debris rained down on them.

"What?" The Doctor yelled.

"Doctor, there's a ship in the side of the TARDIS." Lily said calmly.

"What?" he yelled again.

He crawled over to a life preserver that was now lying on the floor. He flipped it over to reveal the name "TITANIC".

"What?"

A/N: And that's it. I'm gonna have one last chapter that's just an author note and then Never Gonna Be Alone will be done. I think I might actually cry. So here you go guys, this is your last chance to review on NGBA. Now I really am going to cry.

Abbey


	79. Final Author Note

Final Author's Note:

So here it is guys. The end of Never Gonna Be Alone. It seems just like yesterday I started this. And what a rough start it was. I should probably warn you that eventually I'm gonna edit this, cause some of those first chapters just make me cringe. You guys have been some of the best readers a author could ask for and I hope you guys follow me to Savin' Me. So I guess, what I wanna say is, thanks. For your loyalty, your support, and your help. This was not possible without you.

Final Never Gonna Be Alone Stats:  
(as of writing this)

Chapters: 78

Words: 208,251

Hits: 20,738

Reviews: 209

So onwards we go, on to season 4!

Abbey


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